Personal injury cases encompass a wide variety of issues, such as car accident injuries, slip and fall accidents, dog bites, motorcycle accidents, and defective products that cause injury. One of the keys to all personal injury cases is the fact that an injury was caused by negligence on the behalf of another person or entity. Thus, while the details of a personal injury case can vary greatly from one person to another, the timeline is almost always similar. Continue reading to learn more about the steps taken during a personal injury case.
Seek Medical Care
One of the keys to a successful personal injury case is seeking prompt medical care after the injury occurs. If you have been injured, you need to be under the care of a doctor to help ensure that you recover properly. In addition, seeking medical care and having written documentation of your injuries in the form of medical records will be very important for your case. You are not likely to have much success simply stating that you were hurt. You will need concrete proof of your injuries.
Hire an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
No matter what type of situation led to your injury, it's always in your best interest to hire a personal injury attorney to represent you. A good attorney will be able to evaluate your case, review all of the evidence, and put together a strong argument supporting why a person or entity is liable for your injuries. You can also count on a personal injury attorney to fight on your behalf to secure a fair settlement. Personal injury cases can be quite complicated, and it's not recommended that anyone try to navigate the situation on their own without an attorney.
Formal Demand and Negotiations
After you hire a personal injury attorney, he or she will file a formal demand with the insurance company of the person or entity liable for your injuries. Documentation and evidence will be presented to the insurance company, and you attorney will try to negotiate a fair settlement at this stage. Many personal injury cases are settled at this point.
Trial
Sometimes, an insurance company will refuse to issue a settlement after an attorney has sent in a formal demand and attempted negotiations. When this happens, a formal lawsuit must be filed, and the case will go to court. Your personal injury attorney will present your case to a judge and jury, and they will determine if the insurance company must award you a settlement. If they agree that you are entitled to a settlement, they will determine the amount.
Learn more about personal injury attorney services today.
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