What happens during your personal injury lawsuit will depend on various factors specific to your case. Critical steps may involve filing your suit in a timely fashion, preparing to present your case in the courtroom, and explaining to a jury why they should rule in your favor.
A Florida personal injury lawyer from our firm can handle all of these steps and any others your case requires.
Personal Injury Lawsuits Versus Personal Injury Claims
Claims and lawsuits are two distinct actions that an accident victim can take to pursue compensation.
In a claim, you send a demand letter to the liable party’s insurance company and ask them to pay you a fair settlement. Filing a claim is often our first step as we seek compensation for our clients. Only if this step is unsuccessful or not an option at all do we think about moving on to a lawsuit.
The steps involved in filing a personal injury lawsuit are as follows:
Step #1: Filing Your Lawsuit On Time
Florida law says that you must begin a lawsuit within two years in most situations. To file your case, your attorney will first need to identify which civil court has jurisdiction over the matter.
Generally, the court you argue your case in depends on which county the accident occurred in and how much money you are seeking.
Once we know which court will be hearing your case, we must notify the court, the insurance company, and the liable party that you are filing suit.
Step #2: Continuing Negotiations For A Personal Injury Settlement
Sometimes, simply filing the paperwork is enough to push the insurance company to make a better settlement offer. If this happens, your lawsuit may end before it really begins.
This is a good thing, as it means you can receive the money you need more quickly and with less stress.
Step #3: Preparing For Trial
Our attorneys can handle all of the tasks that go into preparing a strong and convincing case. This includes:
- Selecting trial dates
- Ensuring all trial exhibits and motions are filed on time
- Selecting who will sit on the jury
- Choosing witnesses to testify or submit statements
- Engaging in discovery with the defense
“Discovery” is the exchange of evidence between both sides in a lawsuit. You have the right to know what the other side knows, and they have the right to review your evidence to plan their defense strategy.
Just as there is a deadline for beginning your case, there are court rules that give us a limited time to complete each step during your lawsuit. Our law firm is familiar with these rules and will abide by them.
Step #4: Going To Trial
Winning a personal injury lawsuit requires convincing arguments, a complete casefile, and adherence to all legal rules and procedures. Our legal team will do everything possible to persuade the jury that you deserve full financial compensation from the at-fault party.
The defense will also have a chance to present their side of the story and get the jury to side with them. They have every right to do this, but if they try to make their case by violating your rights or ignoring proper procedure, we will ask the judge to put a stop to it immediately.
Step #5: Waiting For The Jury Verdict
Once the trial is over, it is up to the jury to consider everything they have heard and issue a verdict. They might decide to award you the full amount you asked for, to award some of what you asked for, or to side with the defense and award nothing.
There is no way to tell how long the jury will deliberate: it could take a few hours or a few days. Your lawyer will update you as soon as the jury reaches a decision and can answer any questions you have in the meantime.
How Long Does A Personal Injury Lawsuit Take?
A lawsuit may take months or years to complete, depending on which track your case is on. How long it takes to complete discovery, how complex the facts of your case are, and whether or not there are any points of confusion or disagreement with the other side will all affect your case’s length.
It can be hard to wait so long when you just want to finish your case and move on, but the potential rewards are great: if successful, your lawsuit can ensure you recover complete compensation for all past, present, and future losses. You would never have to worry about paying accident-related bills again.
No matter how long your case takes, your personal injury lawyer will remain at your side, fighting for your rights and answering your questions.
Do All Personal Injury Attorneys File Lawsuits For Their Clients?
Some law firms are unable or unwilling to take a case to trial. This could make things more difficult for you if you end up having to file a lawsuit: you would have to find a new attorney to represent you in the courtroom.
If this happens, your legal representative might be able to recommend a trial attorney, but it is usually simpler to hire a trial attorney right from the start.
Our law firm has the experience necessary to negotiate aggressively for a pretrial settlement and to present the most persuasive possible case in a trial setting. We provide comprehensive, personalized service.
Our Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You With Every Step Of Your Case
When you hire Anidjar & Levine to represent you, your lawyer can walk you through what happens during a personal injury lawsuit, reviewing each possibility step by step.
Call now to begin with a free consultation and take back control of your life. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
