Timeline of a Personal Injury Case According to a Personal Injury Lawyer
Accidents can leave you stressed and hurting – both financially and physically. Many accident victims feel helpless because they are unable to work while they watch their medical bills pile up. If someone else’s negligence caused your injuries, you should not be stuck dealing with the aftermath of an accident on your own.
One of the first things that accident victims often want to know is how quickly they can get compensation. The specific timing of a personal injury claim varies depending on the specific facts of the case. However, most cases follow the same general timeline. Below, you can learn more about the timeline of a personal injury case.
What Is The Timeline For My Personal Injury Case?
Whether you have been injured in a car accident, truck accident, or slip and fall accident, the general timeline for your case will look about the same.
Most personal injury cases follow a similar path. That timeline is as follows:
- Initial accident or injury occurs.
- Seek medical treatment.
- Talk to a personal injury lawyer.
- File an insurance claim.
- File a lawsuit.
- Go through the legal discovery process.
- Engage in negotiations, mediation, or arbitration.
- Go to trial.
From start to finish, a personal injury case can take anywhere from a few weeks to more than a year. Simple cases involving minor injuries are usually resolved within 90 days. However, cases involving catastrophic injuries, multiple defendants, or questions of liability can sometimes drag on for many months.
Initial Accident or Injury Occurs
When an accident happens, you may be confused and wondering what to do next. If possible, gather as much evidence at the scene as you can. Take photos, get contact information from witnesses, and obtain any other evidence that might help prove your case later.
Seek Medical Treatment
If you are injured in any way, seek immediate medical treatment. Avoid trying to “act tough” by refusing treatment. Remember that some injuries are not apparent right away. You might find yourself in a lot of pain the day after the accident, so make sure you seek medical help for any injuries you have sustained.
Talk to a Personal Injury Lawyer
Although it is possible to settle some claims without a lawyer, it is never advisable. A personal injury lawyer has the knowledge and experience you need on your side after an accident. Your lawyer can help by:
- Performing their own investigation of the accident
- Handling all necessary paperwork for your claim
- Assessing all your damages to put a proper value on your claim
- Aggressively negotiating with the insurance company for a full and fair settlement
The sooner a lawyer gets involved in helping you, the better your chances of getting a fair settlement are.
File an Insurance Claim
The next step in the process is typically filing a claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company. You will need to provide some details about the accident and your injuries. You might also choose to issue a demand letter for a specific settlement amount.
The insurance company will assign an adjuster to your claim. The adjuster will evaluate the evidence you provided and perform their own investigation to arrive at a value for your claim. You may make several counteroffers back and forth to settle the claim successfully.
File a Lawsuit
Many claims are settled without filing a lawsuit, although sometimes a lawsuit is necessary. A lawsuit can be used to make the insurance company take your claim seriously. Remember that you typically only have three years from the date of your accident to file a lawsuit in North Carolina. Your lawyer can help you determine all the deadlines associated with your case.
Go Through the Legal Discovery Process
Once your lawsuit is filed, both parties will go through the process of collecting and gathering evidence. This may include:
- Depositions
- Interrogatories
- Requests for admission
- Requests for production
The evidence gathered is used to prepare the case for trial, should that be necessary.
Negotiation, Mediation, or Arbitration
Once all the evidence has been gathered, settlement discussions usually happen. Negotiation, mediation, and arbitration are all techniques that may be used to resolve a case without going to trial. Negotiation and mediation both allow the parties to have a say in the final outcome, while arbitration allows a third-party arbitrator to decide the outcome of the case. The specific method used in your case will likely depend on your preferences as well as the facts of your situation.
Go to Trial
A trial is the final step in a personal injury accident. Remember that very few cases actually make it to trial. At the trial, a judge or jury will hear all the evidence and make a final decision on the outcome of your case.
How Can I Get Help With a Personal Injury Case?
If you have been hurt in an accident, you need an experienced personal injury lawyer on your side who will fight to protect your rights. Contact the team at Chandler Volta Personal Injury Lawyers to let us handle every aspect of your case. We will answer all your questions and help you get the compensation you deserve. Call us today at (704) 980-9999 to schedule a free consultation with a Charlotte personal injury lawyer.