Handling the personal injury case on your own can be overwhelming. It would feel as if there are thousands of tasks to complete, even though you’re still recuperating from your injuries.Hiring a reliable personal injury lawyer will take this burden off your shoulders.Let’s see how a personal injury claim process works and how consulting an experienced attorney can help you with the case.
Step #1: Seek Medical Attention
The first step in claiming compensation for personal injury cases is to seek follow-up medical attention. The health of you or your loved ones should always be your priority. So, even if you see no visible signs of injury, you should still go through a medical check-up.Medical records often act as the key evidence in most personal injury cases. So, by seeking medical attention, you can:
- Get necessary treatment
- Get in-depth injury documentation that will be helpful during claim settlement
This way, you can kill two birds with one stone.
Step #2: Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer
Once you have taken care of your medical needs, it’s time to contact a personal injury lawyer. These professionals will act as your advocate and help you undergo the rest of the claim settlement process.Personal injury law is complicated. Many people often try to negotiate and settle personal injury claims without hiring a qualified lawyer. This usually results in lower settlement sums and longer settlement times.Remember, most personal injury cases don’t lead to a court trial. Always consult a reliable personal injury lawyer in Oregon to claim the money you deserve and negotiate successfully.
Step #3: File a Personal Injury Claim
The lawyer will help you prepare the personal injury case, file it, and assert it on your behalf. This process includes:
- Documentation of details that led you to be injured
- Assessing the extent of your injuries
- Gathering evidence like medical records and witness statement
- Creating a solid case to seek as much compensation as possible during the negotiations or the court trials
Once this step is over, the case will move to the next step—negotiation.
Step #4: Negotiation and Claim Settlement
Personal injury cases don’t usually undergo court trials immediately. In most cases, the claim settlement is resolved through negotiation with other involved parties outside of the court.Your attorney will take the lead in engaging in the negotiation.But such negotiations take time. While your lawyer will try to help you claim a sizable amount of compensation, the other parties will also try to minimize the settlement amount through various methods.If both sides are not willing to be flexible, the settlement process can take a long time. And if there’s still no result, your lawyer will file a lawsuit and take the case to court.
Step #5: File a Lawsuit (When Settlement through Negotiation Fails)
When negotiations fail and no party is willing to yield, your lawyer will file a personal injury lawsuit and take the case to court. During the trial, your and the other party’s lawyers will present respective evidence, evaluate the case, question the witnesses, and present relevant arguments.The final judgment will be delivered after the judge or jury presents a verdict.
Step #6: Appeal
In some cases, the lawyer of either party may still choose to appeal the verdict delivered by the court. Although it will lengthen the timeline of the settlement process, it will help you settle the case with fair compensation.
Conclusion
You should get compensation for the injuries and traumas you have suffered. But if your injuries are severe, it will be tough to file a personal injury claim and negotiate the case on your own. To get fair compensation and settle the case quicker, you must consult an experienced personal injury lawyer.This way, you can focus on recuperating from your injuries. Your trusted attorney will take care of the negotiations, settlements, and even the court trials for you.
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