I you have been injured in a car accident for which you were not at fault – or were only partially at fault – then you may need help paying your medical bills, recouping lost wages for time you had to take off of work, and more. In some cases, suing the at-fault party is the right choice. But is it always? The truth is that no two car accident cases are identical.
The best way to know for sure if you have grounds for a personal injury case is to contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation. In the meantime, you can read on to learn the six steps involved in the evolution of a personal injury case.
- Medical treatment
- Investigation into the facts of the case
- Settlement negotiations
- Filing the lawsuit
- Discovery
- Trial
First and foremost, those who are injured need to get medical care. This should always be the top priority not only for your own health but to ensure you recovery quickly. Getting immediate medical care also begins the documentation of your injuries, which can be essential to your personal injury case. If your doctor recommends working with specialists, going to physical therapy, meeting with a surgeon, etc. then you should follow the advice on your doctor.
It’s also important to note that you never want to begin a personal injury case before getting medical care because you simply will not know the full extent of the medical injuries for which you will be suing the at-fault party.
Once you contact a personal injury attorney, we will begin the investigation into the case. We will gather documentation and look at all physical evidence to show how the accident happened, how serious your injuries were, and the extent of property damage.
Once we have a better idea of the value of your case, we will work with the at-faulty party and / or their insurance company to try and settle the claim for a fair amount. This is the fastest way to resolve the case and you will know exactly what you are getting.
If the other party is not willing to offer a fair settlement then we will file a lawsuit on your behalf. At this point, everything will begin running on the timeline the court sets up, which can be slow in some California counties.
This step involves both sides requesting and viewing the evidence the other side has. It is also the step at which we will dispose witnesses.
The length of the trial will depend on how complex your case is. Generally it will take anywhere from a day to several weeks. A jury trial will generally be longer because there is the added step of jury selection.
This is just a general timeline of the six steps in a personal injury case. If you believe you may have a case then you should call Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.
