A personal injury attorney can help you navigate your legal case and protect your rights. They can help you get the compensation you need for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. An attorney will gather information about your accident and injuries during the initial consultation. They will also discuss fees and expectations for the case.
Liability Analysis
A skilled personal injury lawyer at GallagherKennedyInjury.com can often help you navigate the legal and insurance processes with the finesse of a professional tour guide. They can help you interpret medical and insurance jargon and eliminate discrepancies in your case’s documentation. They can also help you establish a fair settlement amount that covers past and future financial losses related to your accident.
This includes submitting a packet of medical bills, reports, and income loss documentation. Personal injury lawyers can also take a more holistic approach to your case by examining the impact of your injuries on your life on a long-term basis. By doing so, they can more accurately judge the totality of your losses and help you negotiate a higher compensation settlement. They may also work with expert witnesses to shed light on the circumstances that led to your accident. They can then use this evidence to establish liability.
Gathering Evidence
The cornerstone of personal injury cases is evidence. This includes physical items such as skid marks broken glass, and financial evidence like medical bills and income verification. It can also include expert opinions from specialists in accident reconstruction. Other evidence your attorney may request include photographs from the scene or surveillance footage from nearby businesses. Your lawyer can also ask for names and contact information for witnesses who may have seen your accident. Other forms of evidence are interrogatories and depositions, where your lawyer will ask people involved in the case questions under oath.
Other substantial evidence includes documents such as wage stubs and tax returns to verify your earnings. You can also provide your lawyer with copies of any insurance policies related to the incident and medical records documenting your injuries and their impact on your life. Your attorney will review all this evidence to determine whether you have a viable claim against the negligent party or parties.
Preparing for Trial
Once your attorney has gathered enough information and evidence, they will perform a comprehensive liability analysis. This includes reviewing the case law, common laws, and applicable statutes. They use this to establish a valid rationale for pursuing your claim against the liable parties. Once they have a complete picture of your injuries and losses, including all future medical care you may require and any income loss you will experience due to the injury, they will prepare a package of information to send to the insurance company.
This will include a liability analysis and a settlement demand. Then, they will initiate the discovery process, including sending interrogatories to defendants and deposing witnesses. They will also prepare for trial by drafting jury instructions and preparing any exhibits that will be used to bolster your version of the story. They will also discuss the case with you and ask for additional information.
Representing You at Trial
Your lawyer can prepare for trial once you have a firm handle on your injury claim’s facts and evidence. This includes filing pre-trial motions, reviewing your medical records for updates or new injuries, and preparing interrogatories and depositions to request information from the defendant and other parties involved in your accident. They will also ensure that any physical evidence, such as product testing on a defective item, is accounted for.
Defendants and manufacturers are known to destroy evidence during the testing process, so your lawyer will ensure you have a copy of any such tests or other relevant evidence before they are destroyed. Your attorney will prepare a complaint against the defendants, laying out several legal arguments for why they should be held responsible for your injury. This involves analyzing case law, common law, and applicable statutes.