The Intake Process for Car Accident Litigation

A lawyer with experience in litigation involving car accidents can help you determine the strengths of your case as well as the amount of settlement you can get. This is only possible if all the information you need is available.

The initial step in a lawsuit involving a car accident is called discovery. During this phase, attorneys and their teams exchange documents and ask each other questions under the oath.

Documentation

A large portion of the work involved in a car wreck investigation is gathering evidence. This could include evidence such as medical records, photos, or witness statements. The more documentation that you have, the better your case will be.

The first piece of evidence that you must have is a report from the police. Typically the police officer who arrives at the scene of the crash will prepare a report, and this will provide crucial information on how the accident occurred and who was at fault for the incident.

Your lawyer can also make use of an official report from law enforcement to seek additional evidence, if needed. If the incident occurred in the workplace, for example an employee could have recorded video footage. If this is the case, you should request a copy from the business.

It is also important to document the costs you have incurred due to the auto accident lawsuits. These could include medical bills and records for your treatment, receipts for medications, rental car fees, in-home care or assistance as well as transportation costs and many more. In addition, you should keep track of any income loss because of your injury. This can include old pay stubs, as well as tax returns.

If you can, get the names of any witnesses to the accident as well. They might be able to provide valuable information, especially if you can convince them to give evidence in court. It's important to remember that witnesses can alter their story and forget details about the incident as time passes.

Intake and Investigation

Whether you have filed an insurance firm or are beginning an action against the at-fault driver, the intake process is essential to obtaining full and fair compensation for your crash injuries. Your lawyer will begin by looking over your medical records, and obtaining copies of accident reports as well as other evidence. They will also visit the scene of the crash to record and observe what they can.

This information will allow them to comprehend the severity of your injuries both in terms of future and current costs for your emotional and physical suffering. They will then analyze your financial losses to determine the total value of your case. The damages could not be limited to only current and future medical expenses, but also your loss of income and property damage.

Your lawyer will also conduct an investigation, including interviewing any witnesses and analyzing all available evidence. They will also gather the driver who was at fault and their driving phone records to determine how they were using their vehicle at the time of the accident. This is particularly importanrguing that it's impossible for the opposing side to prevail.

Filing a Lawsuit

In the majority of car auto accident law firms cases, the parties are able to settle their dispute without going to court. Our team will assist you in negotiating an agreement with the insurance company, or directly with the at-fault party. If there is no agreement our lawyers will start a lawsuit against the defendant. The Complaint will detail your claims and details about the circumstances of the crash and why you are entitled to compensation. The defendant will be served the Complaint and given a specified period of time to respond.

The discovery phase is the time when our lawyers and the defendant begin to exchange documents and other information and ask questions via interrogatories or depositions. Our team will ask questions to the lawyer for the defendant about their perspective on the events, such as what injuries you've suffered and how they believe it took place. We will also seek expert opinions to support our position.

During the process of discovery, your lawyer can make legal motions to the court for a judge to rule on. This could include asking the court to omit evidence or to schedule a trial. It could take up to an entire year for the discovery process to be completed and a trial date set. It is essential to speak with an experienced Long Island auto accident attorney at the earliest possible point during the process.