Your Steady Course To Personal Injury Success
If you've been in a wreck and have suffered an injury through no fault of your own, you should seek compensation from the at-fault driver. Insurance won't do the job; it leaves out things that you are entitled to be paid for, like lost wages and pain and suffering. Your course towards getting paid the monetary damages you deserve is made up of several key points, so read on to learn more.
Get an attorney: It only makes good sense to place your legal burden in the hands of a professional who understands every aspect of what it takes to get you paid. Bring important paperwork with you for that Day One meeting, like the accident report, any insurance information, and your medical records. One thing you probably can leave at home is cash, since most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. This means they get paid when you do. Contact a service like Velde Moore Limited for more information.
Let them know you mean business: Your attorney, with the vital information you provide, will send the other side a fact-filled letter, known as a demand letter, threatening to file a lawsuit if your demands are not met. This will put them on notice about a pending suit and give them the opportunity to offer you a settlement and stay out of court.
Participate in discovery: This is part of the preparation for trial and involves things like answering questionnaires, providing documents, and going through a deposition. The discovery process in general, and the deposition in particular, can provide both parties with information about the case and can lead to an offer to settle if things go well. You can imagine a deposition as being very similar to a trial, with testimony being given under oath. Anything said at a deposition may be used at the actual trial to come later.
Prepare for the trial: Trials do not always proceed in an orderly fashion. They can begin and pause at times due to a number of hearings, motions, postponements, and other delays. However, you can expect some things to happen in order:
1. The jury is selected. In some locales, there is no jury but instead the case is presided over and decided by a judge.
2. Both sides make their opening statements.
3. Various witnesses are called to testify by both sides.
4. Various forms of evidence are introduced into the record.
5. Both sides make their closing statements.
6. The verdict is read and, hopefully, the other side is ordered to pay the judgment.
For more information about what to expect with your case, speak to a personal injury attorney right away.
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