How does a personal injury case work?

If you have been injured in an accident, you may have questions about what a personal injury case is like and how it works. Due to the high prevalence of these cases, the legal system has worked out a system to handle the matters in the most efficient way possible. Therefore, although these cases can take many different forms, the basics of each case generally remains similar.

Personal injury matter all begin when an individual is injured in an accident. This can be from a car collision, a slip and fall or another serious type of accident. After an injury, you should meet with an attorney as soon as possible. During this meeting, the attorney will want to know what happened during the accident, insurance coverage, whether you have met with or talked to insurance adjustors and anyone else who may have information about the accident. He will also want to know about current treatment plans and whether you have any medical bills that need to be paid.

After your doctors have determined that treatment for your injuries has concluded, your attorney will likely send the insurance providers a demand letter. This letter states that you want them to pay a certain amount for your injuries. This usually includes an amount for medical bills, property damage, and pain and suffering. In most cases, the insurance company decides to settle these claims. Some negotiations are usually involved, but they may refuse to pay anything at all.

If you and your attorney are not happy with the offer from the insurance company, you may choose to file a court case against them. Each case proceeds through the court in the same fashion beginning with filing of the complaint and answer, then discovery and motions. If necessary, the case can proceed all the way to a trial. However, most insurance companies and attorneys try to avoid this because of the costs. Once a judgment has been made, you may have to do some work to actually get the money you have legally won. Settlement negotiations may continue throughout this court case process as well. The entire case from complaint to trial and judgement may last one or more years.

If you lost your trial, you may appeal the decision by filing certain documents with the court. This is also a costly process, but may be worth it in many cases.

It is important to remember that each personal injury case is unique and may face individual circumstances. Visit this website to learn more about these matters from a personal injury lawyer in Jacksonville.