What Can I Expect in My Personal Injury Case

If you have recently been injured, no matter whether you were hurt in a car accident, in a slip and fall or otherwise, the first step that you should take is to get the involvement of an experienced personal injury lawyer. While the claim process can be simple, this is only when it proceeds perfectly. In most cases, you will not be lucky enough to work it out quickly with your insurance company. After all, these companies are exactly that – companies. They are invested in themselves and will do everything that they can to minimize how much they owe in a claim to help reduce their expenses and increase their profit.

It is always in your best interests to get professional representation.

The second step of the claim process will be to submit the claim to the insurance company. Your lawyer will be able to work with you during this to ensure that the claim is submitted correctly within the proper timeline (there is a very specific statute of limitations which dictates how long you have to file). In some cases, you may have to file two insurance claims – both with your own insurance company, as well as the company for the person who caused at the accident and is “at fault.”

After your claim has been submitted, you will be assigned an insurance claim adjuster. Do not make the mistake of thinking that the adjuster is your friend. They are working for the insurance company; it is their job to minimize the claim. They will therefore request that you provide them with adequate proof regarding your claim. If you are unable to provide proof about the accident, fault and the injuries that were sustained, it is not unlikely your claim will be denied.

In some cases, even if you are able to provide proof, you may find that the adjustor offers you a quick settlement to have the case over. Often, it is not in your best interests to accept this initial offer as it may be far below what your case is worth. If you are denied or if you are offered an unreasonable amount, your attorney will then enter into negotiations with your insurance company. By seeking an out-of-court agreement, you can avoid costly litigation and instead work the case out.

If no agreement is made, our firm will file a complaint in the proper court in your jurisdiction. This will start the actual litigation process. First, we will move forward into extensive discovery for your claim. This is a pre-trial phase that allows for us to gather all of the necessary evidence. We will even be able to obtain evidence from the at-fault party or any other opposing parties. It is likely that we will call upon technical experts at this time to offer insight into the evidence and to help us with the creation of your case.

In some cases, we may be open to mediation to, again, try to reach a settlement outside of the court. However, if this is not feasible or does not proceed amiably, we will not be afraid to take the claim to trial. Over the years, our firm has been victorious in a wide variety of cases, both in and out of the courtroom. If you are concerned about your case, have more questions about what you are facing, it is in your best interests to get the involvement of our firm today. Call us to schedule your initial case consultation with a Personal Injury Attorney today.