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What is a Personal Injury Attorney lawyer Lawsuit?
You could be eligible for compensation if you have suffered injuries due to the actions or inactions of someone else. Contact a knowledgeable personal injury attorney injury lawyer to learn more about your rights.
A personal injury lawsuit is a civil litigant where the plaintiff seeks compensation for their loss. This can include medical bills as well as lost wages and property damage. The process can take anywhere from a few months to several years.
Damages
A personal injury lawsuit is a legal action which is filed to compel another person, or entity to compensate you for the damages that result from an accident. The plaintiff is the injured party and the defendants are accountable. Personal injury cases may include cases of wrongful death when someone dies due to negligence or wrongful actions of others.
Damages are typically classified into two categories: compensatory and punitive. Compensatory damages are meant to help the victim get back on track and regain their financial security, which includes out-of-pocket expenses such as medical expenses as well as compensation for pain and suffering. Punitive damages, which are very rare and are intended to punish the wrongdoer when they have committed a number of extreme actions.
The first type of damages is usually referred to as "economic damages." This covers all out-of-pocket expenses associated with the accident or injury. These could include doctor's bills as well as hospital expenses and physical therapy expenses. Some claims could also cover additional costs, like the cost of travel to and from appointments, or modifications to your home to accommodate a disability that is permanent.
Non-economic damages are also referred to by the term "pain and suffer" damages. They are more difficult to quantify and are a result of the mental and emotional stress, anguish and suffering caused by accidents. Your lawyer can help you determine the value of these damages based on the severity of your injury. This might be based on the ability to continue enjoying the activities you were previously able to enjoy or your loss of consortium with family members.
Statute of limitations
A legal requirement, known as the statute of limitations, any person who is injured in an accident must make a claim within a certain time frame or else their claim will be dismissed by the courts. This is to safeguard evidence from being lost or forgotten, and to prevent people from dragging out litigation related to an incident for a long time.
The exact time frame is different from state to state however personal injury claims generally have a two- to four-year limit. However there are exceptions that may prolong the time required for a victim to file their claim and they should seek legal advice for help to determine whether or not their case falls within one of the exceptions.
The statute of limitations is only applicable to lawsuits that are filed in court. Many injury cases are resolved through the process of claiming insurance and do not require formal lawsuit filing. It is nevertheless important to allow yourself enough time to start a lawsuit in the event that insurance negotiations aren't as smooth as you had hoped, or if there is a problem which cannot be resolved through insurance.
Certain circumstances can stop the clock of the statute of limitations however these cases are rare and generally need to be evaluated on an individual basis. For example the statute of limitations might not start running until the victim discovers or reasonably should have discovered that their injury was caused by a negligence, and in certain states, like New York, the statute of limitations differs for claims against municipalities.
Complaint
A personal injury lawsuit is a civil action brought by an injured person against the person or entity that caused the injury. It claims that the defendant breached the duty of care, and that this breach caused harm and loss to the plaintiff and that the defendant is accountable for the losses.
The complaint is the first document that you file in a personal injury lawsuit. It includes specific allegations regarding the incident that caused your injuries and the damages you are seeking. It also contains the "prayer for relief" which outlines what you want the court to do. The summons and complaint should be given to the defendant.
The defendant must respond to the complaint within specific time limits and either admit or deny all allegations in the complaint. The defendant may also file a counterclaim or add another defendant to the case by naming a third party defendant.
A successful personal injury lawsuit is based on solid evidence, including medical documents and witness testimony. We work closely together with our clients to gather the relevant information and incorporate it in the case. The evidence we collect will also assist us in negotiate with the defense attorneys or insurance companies to obtain the best settlement offer.
Preliminary Conference
In a personal injury lawsuit your lawyer must demonstrate that the defendant's negligence caused your accident. You must also prove that you were injured in the accident and that these injuries are worthy of an amount of money.
It's not an easy process, but it is at the trial that you'll be able to determine if you get the compensation you deserve. In a trial before the jury the lawyer injury near me will argue the defendant's responsibility and they will argue that they have to pay for your losses. The defendant will provide evidence to show that their actions were not related to the accident. This will stop them from paying you for your losses.
Before you can proceed to trial, you must attend a preliminary conference. This is often the first time that your case will be subject to deadlines that are set by the Court itself. This is also the time where your attorney will discuss the case with the defense.
Preliminary meetings are usually held by a judicial register or an individual from the court's staff. All participants must attend the preliminary conference in person unless the case has been handled by New York's Differentiated Case Management Rule or the Rules are exempted in other ways. If, however, a person cannot attend in person, they are able to participate via telephone or on the internet with the permission of the convenor. If your case is scheduled to be part of the Differentiated Case Management program, the preliminary conference will be a chance to determine whether your case falls into one of the three classifications that are expedited, standard, or complex.
Bill of Particulars
After the complaint and summons have been filed, the defendants named in the lawsuit will be given between twenty and thirty days (although this time frame can be extended by the court). After the Answer has been filed, the case moves into what is called the discovery phase. In this phase the parties exchange information in the form of written demands for discovery and depositions.
The plaintiff's lawyer injury near me prepares the Bill of Particulars at the end of discovery. This document provides the legal claims being made as well as the relief sought, usually an award of money damages. The Bill of Particulars is meant to inform the defendant of the specific legal claims that are made to help them prepare for trial.
Before a Bill of Particulars can be followed, it has to be examined by the court. In general, the court will only be able to abide by a Bill of Particulars if it isn't vague or overly broad. A Bill of Particulars must only include the specific acts of neglect that are being claimed and must not include new claims. Linker v. Jolly 203 A.D.2d (527 (2nd Dept. ), for example was a case where the court ruled that the plaintiff had not been negligent. 1994) The court ruled in favor of the motion to strike references to willful and intentional actions from a medical malpractice claim.
The court will also not allow a new theory to be introduced at any point in the action that is unreasonablely late. To avoid prejudice, a late amendment to the Bill of Particulars must be supported by an affidavit which gives a reasonable explanation for the lateness of this amendment.
Physical Exam
You might be wondering why a doctor who isn't familiar with you or your medical history and is unfamiliar with the specifics of your accident, should be required to conduct a medical exam. However, this type of exam is actually a requirement under Washington law, and could be beneficial in your case.
IMEs are typically conducted by doctors employed by the insurer of the defendant. Their goal is to offer a different view of your injuries. These physicians, who are often referred to as "independent" are able to have their own goals and financial interests in reducing the compensation that is given to victims of injuries.
If you decide to undergo an IME, your Orange County personal injury lawyer will make sure that you are well-informed about what to expect and will provide the complete set of medical records to the doctor to review. Your lawyer will also be present at the IME and will ensure that you are examined fairly by ensuring that the doctors questions do not deviate from those in your medical records. You should not downplay or exaggerate the severity of your injuries to the doctors. They are trained to spot dishonesty, and could make use of this information in a trial.