Bearing an injury
after an accident can seem devastating. On top of the pain and stress, you are
going through, you may face filing a lawsuit. A car accident attorney can give
you the help you need. He or she will take you through the procedure one step at
a time and prepare you for how you're to profess will proceed. Below is a list
of the basic events in your legal action and what they mean.
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Step 1 - The Summons
and Complaint
After your car
accident lawyer encounter with you and explore your claim, he/she will prepare
charter called a Summons and Complaint. These charters officially start the
lawsuit. From here on out, you'll be known as the petitioner, and the alleged
wrongdoer will be known as the defendant.
Step 2 - Service of
Process
Your auto injury
lawyer will arrange to serve the defendant with your paperwork. "Service
of Process" is merely a fancy way of describing how the paperwork gets
delivered to the defendant.
Step 3 - The
Defendant's Response
After serving the
accused, your car accident attorneys will be waiting for a formal response
(Answer) from the defendant. At this stage, the insurance company will likely
hire a defense lawyer to work on the defendant's behalf. The defendant's answer
will likely deny everything you claim. Do not be alarmed. This is a standard
procedure incorporated by the defendant's legal team.
Step 4 - Discovery
As your auto accident
attorney will explain, there are no surprises in real litigation work. Your
lawyer will exchange and request information and documents regarding potential
witnesses and legal theories from the other side.Your car injury lawyer is also
obligated to provide the same information to the defense legal team. Common
types of discovery include:
- Depositions -
questioning done under oath from parties or witnesses to the case;
- Interrogatories -
written questions;
- Request for
Production of Documents - parties exchange things such as witness statements,
photographs, medical records and other documentation that supports the claims
or defenses; and
- Requests for
Admissions - written agreements about certain facts that are not disputed by
either party (the weather at the time of the injury and any other contributing
factors, for example).
Your car accident
attorney can explain what happens next if your case proceeds to an actual
trial.
For Legal Assistance:
Please contact experienced car accident attorneys in your area that will be in
your corner. Call today as soon as physically possible in order to preserve
evidence and witness integrity.
















