What Are Some Of The Steps That Go Along With A Personal Injury Claim?
If you have been hurt and think that another party might be at least somewhat responsible for your injury, you could be thinking about filing a personal injury claim. If this is the case, you could be wondering what some of the steps for dealing with your claim might be. This does vary from scenario to scenario, of course, but these are some of the basic steps that you can typically expect.
Hiring a Lawyer
The very first thing you're going to want to do when you think you have a personal injury case is to hire a lawyer. This is not a process that you should rush through. Instead, you should look for a lawyer that has ample experience in handling similar personal injury cases to yours. You should look for someone who charges reasonable fees, and you'll probably want to look for a lawyer that will charge you on a contingency basis. Additionally, you'll want to find a personal injury lawyer who you feel comfortable talking to and who seems interested in doing their best possible work while handling your case.
Providing Information to Your Lawyer
When you find a lawyer who you are interested in hiring to handle your case, you are going to need to spend some time gathering and providing any evidence and documentation that you might have related to your case. This can help them get a better understanding of your case and can help them do the necessary work to help you with your case.
Allowing Your Lawyer to Investigate
It's best to hire a lawyer as soon as possible so they can take time to investigate your case. They will use the information that you give them and their own resources to investigate your case as much as possible so they can build a strong case for you.
Negotiations
In many cases, lawyers and insurance companies begin negotiations before a personal injury claim is ever filed. In some cases, a settlement is offered during this process, which makes things easier for everyone who is involved.
Claim Filing
If nothing happens during the negotiation process, then your personal injury lawyer will go through the process of filing a claim. They will know about the paperwork that needs to be filed and the steps that need to be taken in order to file your claim with the courts.
Settlement
Once the court paperwork has been filed, negotiations for settlements often pick up. There is a good chance that your personal injury lawyer will be able to work out a suitable settlement for you after the court paperwork has been filed but before any major court dates happen.
Court
In some cases, a person and their lawyer might not be able to come to a suitable settlement with the relevant insurance company in a personal injury case. If this happens, then your lawyer should help with handling each step of the court process.
To learn more, contact a personal injury attorney in your area.