Thousands of people get injured every year, and there are often many cases where the injured party isn’t at fault. Because of that, you may be exploring the options that you have for pursuing some sort of lawsuit so that you can get the resources you need.
Filing a personal injury lawsuit may be your best course of action, especially if insurance isn’t covering what it is that you need as a result of your injuries. Here’s a quick look at how that process may look for you.
Consultation with a Trusted Attorney
Your consultation is the first thing that you need to do. Research your options for lawyers and find the one that you believe will meet your needs the best. Then, make an appointment where you can talk to them about your options in this situation. This helps you to decide whether or not this lawyer definitely can take on your case properly.
After signing your contract, your Miami Shores personal injury attorney will also take some time to really investigate what happened, as well. They will look into every nook and cranny of your case and do their best to ensure that they have the fullest understanding of what led up to your injury.
Sorting out the amount of your claim and filing it
During the investigation process, your lawyer will be able to make some determinations about what happened and how much money you should get for it. They’ll look at medical bills, any pain and suffering (trauma), and any loss of wages that may be associated with your case and put together a dollar amount.
Then, after that dollar amount has been determined, your lawyer will go to the court that you’re working with in order to file the claim fully. You’ll need to sign paperwork and, depending on your jurisdiction, you may need to do some other tasks before you finish filing (the court will let you know what those are).
Discovery, meditation, trials, and appeals
Once your claim is filed, things seem to go pretty quickly. The other side is going to go through a discovery process that is similar to the process your lawyer went through in order to determine how much to file for. Then, when that’s over, there will be a time where your lawyer and their lawyer meet and try to find a compromise.
If a compromise is sorted out, it stops there, you get your settlement, and everything is done. But, if it isn’t, it will go to civil court to get sorted out. The judge will make a determination based on the evidence from your lawyer and theirs. If both sides are happy with the settlement at this point, it’s over; if not, there is an appeals process that can be considered (in short, a re-trial).
Seeking out assistance from a lawyer should be one of your first steps, but understanding how long it may take is also essential. Consider all of the available options and see what is best for you, and you’ll be better able to pursue your case and get the financial assistance you need to recover properly.
