The No. One Question That Everyone Working In Auto Accident Claim Should Be Able To Answer The Intake Process for Car Accident Litigation

A lawyer who specializes in the area of car accident litigation will assist you in determining how strong your case is and how much your settlement could be worth. But this is only possible when you have all the relevant information.

The first step in a lawsuit involving a car accident is known as discovery. During this stage, attorneys and their teams exchange documents and discuss their respective cases under the oath.

Documentation

Documentation is an integral element of an auto accident. This can include evidence like photos, medical records or witness statements. The more evidence you have to support your claim, the more convincing your case will be.

A police report is the primary document you need. Typically the police officer that comes to the scene of the accident will prepare an investigation report. This will give important details about what happened and who was responsible for the incident.

If required you need to, your attorney can make use of the police report to gather additional evidence. For instance, if an incident occurred at a company where employees were present, the location may have recorded video footage of the incident. If this is the case, you must request a copy of the video from the business.

You should also record the expenses you incur due to the accident. These could include medical bills and records of your treatment, receipts for medications rental car charges, in-home care or assistance expenses for transportation, and many more. Additionally, you must record any income loss due to your injury. This could include old pay slips and tax returns.

It is also advisable to find the names of witnesses. They can be important sources of information in your case, particularly if they are able to be present at trial. It's important to keep in mind that witnesses may alter their narratives and forget specifics regarding the accident as time passes.

Intake and Investigation

The process of intake is vital to getting an adequate amount of settlement for your accident-related injuries, whether you have submitted an insurance claim or are suing the party at fault. Your attorney will begin by reviewing your medical records, as well as obtaining copies of accident reports as well as other evidence. They will also visit the scene of the accident to observe and document what they can.

This information will assist them comprehend the severity of your injuries both in terms of future and projected costs for your emotional and physical suffering. They will also review your existing and expected financial losses to estimate the total value of your case. Your damages can include not only your present and future medical expenses but also income loss and property damage.

Your lawyer will also investigate, including interviewing any witnesses and analyzing all available evidence. They will also obtain the driver at fault's driving records and cell phone records to see how they were using their vehicle at the time of the accident. This is especially important if there was a collision with an Uber or Lyft vehicle, or any other evidence that suggests the driver was working around the clock.

In addition to this, your attorney will likely ask questions regarding the defendant's prior criminal and traffic convictions as part of the discovery process. These details are generally not admissible, but they could be used to undermine the credibility of the defendant in cross-examination.


auto accident attorney athens of negotiating a settlement

After receiving the medical records, you are able to begin settlement negotiations. The insurance company is likely to make an initial offer that is much less than the amount you demanded in your letter. This is a strategy to assess how strong your argument is. In your counteroffer, it is crucial to highlight the most powerful points that you have to your advantage. For instance, if you claim that the insurance company was at fault and there were serious injuries as well as high medical costs. In the end, a lot of bargaining back and forth should get you to an amount that is both reasonable and fair.

A skilled lawyer for accidents can successfully argue for your claim's merits, by presenting evidence to justify your losses. This could include photographs of the car damage as well as a police report and witness testimony. We can calculate the various components of your claim such as loss of income as well as pain and suffering, and police reports.

If the insurance company is unwilling to pay a reasonable amount at the moment, we can bring a lawsuit. A trial usually lasts between one and two days, and is ruled on by an attorney or a jury. If your case is settled before this stage it can take a few months. In addition, your attorney might be eligible to file a motion for summary judgment. This involves arguing that all evidence is in your favor and arguing that it is impossible for the other side to prevail.

Filing a Lawsuit

In a majority of car accident cases the parties can settle their disputes outside of court. Our team will assist you negotiate with the insurance company of the driver who caused the accident or directly with the party responsible for the accident. If no agreement can be reached, our attorneys will file a suit against the defendant. The Complaint will list your claims and allegations about the cause of the crash and why you are entitled to compensation. The defendant will be served the Complaint and given a particular time frame to respond to it.

The discovery stage is when our attorneys and the defendant will begin to exchange documents and other information while asking questions through interrogatories or depositions. Our team will ask the defendant's attorney questions regarding their interpretation of events, focusing on the circumstances under which they believe the crash happened and what injuries you've sustained. We will also solicit expert opinions that will support our stance.

During the discovery phase, your lawyer can file legal documents known as motions with the court for the decision of an individual judge. This could include requests for the court to exclude certain evidence or set an appointment for trial. It can take as long as a year for the discovery process to be completed and a trial date scheduled. This is why it's important to consult with a seasoned Long Island car accident attorney early on in the process.