How Does A Personal Injury Lawsuit Work?

Law Blog

A personal injury lawsuit is an excellent tool for getting the compensation that you deserve after being injured. However, the process can be pretty complicated and that can negatively affect your willingness to file a lawsuit. To help you out, here is a simplified timeline of how a personal injury lawsuit works:

  1. Find a Lawyer - First and foremost, you will need to plan out your lawsuit and determine if you want to hire a lawyer. If you are pursuing a settlement, then you might not need the courtroom services of a lawyer. On the other hand, if the lawsuit does make its way to court, then you might be unprepared if you don't have a lawyer. Either way, it is a good idea to at least consult a personal injury lawyer to get a good idea of how strong your case is and how much you stand to win.
  2. File a Complaint - After you have hired a lawyer and discussed your case with them, they will officially file the first part of a personal injury lawsuit: a complaint. This complaint will then be relayed to the defendant, who will have some time to prepare and respond. Once both parties are collected and ready to proceed, discovery will begin.
  3. Discovery - This is one of the most important steps because it will determine whether your lawsuit succeeds or fails. Facts will be exchanged between your lawyer and the defense lawyer in order to create the most accurate picture possible of what actually happened.
  4. Dismissal - In some cases, your lawsuit might be dismissed before going any further. This can actually happen before discovery, depending on the circumstances. Cases are often dismissed when they are presented to the wrong court or a court that has no jurisdiction in the matter.
  5. Settlement - Most personal injury lawsuits don't actually go to court. Instead, they are settled out of court, which means that you get paid and the defendant can avoid the legal and public relations trouble of a lawsuit. In many cases, you can actually make more money from a settlement, since it means much lower legal fees on your part.
  6. Trial - If your case does go to trial, then your case will be presented before a jury. After deliberation, your lawsuit will either succeed or fail.
  7. Appeal - If you or the defendant are unhappy with the outcome of the trial, you may appeal the decision. While this will result in higher legal fees, it also might give you another shot at getting your compensation. Contact a company like Halverson & Sheehy, PLLC for more information.

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18 August 2015

Every Business Owner Needs to Be Well-versed in Law

While I took a few business classes in college, I left early to start my own business. I thought I had the knowledge I needed to become a great business owner and was eager to start my business. Soon, I had a new business that was actually performing pretty well in sales. Unfortunately, I hadn't taken any law courses in college, and I soon realized I made a few mistakes when starting my business that could cause me some legal trouble. Thankfully, a great business lawyer helped me correct my mistakes before I had any legal problems, but I then decided to take those business law courses. I want to help business owners and anyone else who would like to learn more about the law by starting a blog where I will share what I have learned and will continue to learn. I hope I can help you!