14 Businesses Doing A Superb Job At Auto Accident Claim

The Intake Process for Car Accident Litigation

A lawyer that specializes in the field of car accident litigation can help you determine the strength of your case is, and how much your settlement could be worth. However this is only possible with all the relevant information.

The initial step in a car accident lawsuit is called discovery. During this stage, attorneys and their teams exchange documents and ask questions under oath.

Documentation

A lot of the work involved in a car accident investigation is gathering evidence. This can include evidence like photographs, medical records, or witness statements. The more evidence you have, the better your case will be.

The first piece of evidence that you must have is a law enforcement report. The police officer who arrives at the accident scene will usually prepare a report. It will provide important details about the incident and who was responsible.

If needed your attorney has to use a police report to gather additional evidence. If the incident occurred at the workplace for instance an employee could have recorded video footage. If this is the case, you should request a copy from the business.

It is also important to document the costs you have incurred due to the auto accident lawyers. This could include medical bills, records of your treatment, medication receipts, rental car charges as well as in-home assistance or care, transportation costs and more. You should also document any income you lose due to your accident. You can use your old tax returns and pay stubs.

You should also find the names of witnesses. These people can serve as important sources of information in your case, particularly in the event that they are able to be present at trial. However, it's important to keep in mind that witnesses may alter their story over time and forget details of the accident.

Intake and Investigation

The process of intake is crucial to obtaining an adequate amount of compensation for your injuries from an accident, whether you have filed an insurance claim or Auto Accident Law Firms are suing the responsible party. Your attorney will start by looking over your medical treatment records, and obtaining copies of accident reports and other available evidence. They will also visit the scene of the crash to take note of what they can.

This will help them to assess the severity of the injuries you've sustained as well as the future and current costs for your physical or emotional suffering. Then, they will review your financial losses in order to estimate the value of your case. The damages you suffer could include not just future and present medical expenses, but also loss of income and property damage.

Your lawyer will also investigate the incident, including speaking with witnesses and analyzing any evidence. They will also collect the driver who was at fault and their driving phone records to determine what they were doing with their vehicle at the time of the collision. This is especially crucial if the crash involved an Uber or Lyft vehicle, or any other evidence that suggests the driver was at work, as this could negatively impact their ability to cover your damages.

As part of the process of discovery, your lawyer will also ask about the defendant's criminal and traffic conviction records. These facts are usually not admissible, however they can be used to undermine the credibility of the defendant during cross-examination.

Negotiating a Settlement

Once you have the medical records, you can start settlement negotiations. The insurance company will typically make an initial offer that is much lower than the amount you requested in your letter. This is an opportunity to determine the credibility of your argument. In your counteroffer it is crucial to emphasize the most important arguments you have to your advantage. For instance, you can say that the insurer was at fault and there were serious injuries and high medical costs. The process of negotiating back and forth should eventually result in an appropriate and fair amount.

A skilled accident attorney can effectively argue for the merits of your claim, including presenting evidence supporting your losses. This could include photos of the damage to your car, a police report and witness testimony. We also know how to calculate the value of various elements of your claim, including lost income and suffering and pain.

If at this point the insurance company continues to refuse to offer a fair amount, we may choose to file a lawsuit in court. A trial usually lasts between one and two days, and is judged by an attorney or a jury. If your case is settled before this point it could take several months. Your attorney may be capable of filing a motion for summary judge. This means claiming that all evidence is in your favor and arguing that it's impossible to allow the opponent to win.

Filing a Lawsuit

In the majority of car crash cases, the parties are able to settle their disputes without going to court. Our team will work to assist you in negotiating a settlement with the other driver's insurance company, or directly with the at-fault party. If a settlement isn't reached, our lawyers will file a suit against the defendant. The Complaint outlines your claims and allegations regarding the accident and why you are entitled to compensation. The defendant will be served the Complaint and given a certain amount of time to respond to it.

During the discovery phase, our attorneys will discuss documents and other material with the defendant and ask questions via interrogatories as well as depositions. Our team will ask the defendant's attorney questions regarding their perspective on the events, including what they believe happened during the crash, as well as how they think it took place and what injuries you've suffered. We will also seek expert opinions that will support our stance.

During the discovery process, your lawyer can submit legal documents, also known as motions to the court to a judge's decision on. This can include requesting the court to block evidence or to schedule a trial. It could take a full year or more to complete the process of discovery and to set the trial date for your case. It is imperative to speak with an experienced Long Island Auto Accident Law Firms accident attorney as early as you can during the process.