3 Things You Need To Know About The Process Of Filing A Personal Injury Lawsuit
Posted on: 1 June 2015
Going through a personal injury lawsuit can be exhausting. Many people understand that you will have to meet with an attorney, but they don't actually know what goes on between the initial meeting with the attorney and the completion of the case. Here are some things you need to know.
1. Filing Court Papers
The moment you meet with an attorney is not the beginning of the lawsuit. You can meet with an attorney all you want, but until you actually file papers with the court, your lawsuit is not active. In addition, most cases have a statute of limitations, meaning that you only have a certain amount of time between the accident and the deadline for filing the suit. This is why you should talk to an attorney early, because they will need some time to get things together before they can file the suit with the court.
2. Discovery and Fact Finding
After the suit has been filed, it will be time to get all of the evidence together--this is one of the most vital parts of the case. If it is a criminal case, the police will take care of finding the evidence. But if you are filing the lawsuit, it will be up to you to get everything that you need.
Before you meet with the lawyer, it is always good to have at least some documentation about the accident. If there is a police report, medical bills, emails and so forth, bring them along. Then the attorney can let you know if there are more things that they need.
3. Receiving Damages After Judgment
Even if you settle or the judge renders a decision, your lawsuit is not completely over. You still have to collect your damages. This can be a challenge for some people. The defendant may have to wait till they can get you the money, they may have to work with their insurance to pay you, or you might have to get the court to intervene if it takes too long. Many people think that when they win a lawsuit that the funds will immediately be available. That is generally not the case. Instead, you will have to wait a good deal of time till everything is completely settled.
These are just a few things that you need to know about filing a personal injury lawsuit. For more information, contact a professional law firm like Knochel Law.
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