When an individual suffers an injury due to someone else’s negligence, they may decide to hire a personal injury lawyer and pursue legal action. The timeline of such a case can vary greatly depending on the specifics, but there are general stages that most cases will follow.

The first step in the timeline is the occurrence of the accident or incident that causes injury. After seeking immediate medical attention, it’s crucial for the injured party to document everything related to their injuries and how they occurred. This includes taking photos of injuries and property damage, gathering witness information, and keeping track of all medical treatments and expenses.

Once these initial steps have been taken, hiring a personal injury car accident lawyer becomes essential. During an initial consultation with a lawyer – which often happens free of charge – the victim discusses what happened, presents any evidence collected so far, and asks questions about their potential case.

After deciding to proceed with litigation, your attorney will begin investigating your claim in depth by collecting further evidence like police reports or medical records. They’ll also interview witnesses if available. This stage could take several weeks or even months depending on complexity.

Next comes negotiation with insurance companies before filing a lawsuit in court. Many personal injury cases are settled during this phase without ever reaching trial through negotiations between your attorney and defendant’s insurer.

If settlement isn’t possible at this stage because both parties cannot agree on liability or damages amount then lawsuit filing takes place. It starts with drafting of complaint detailing claims against defendant along with demands for compensation known as ‘damages’. Once filed in court system process officially begins leading us into next phase: discovery.

During discovery both sides exchange information regarding case including evidence documents witness testimonies etc., typically lasting six months to year but can extend longer complex cases.

Following discovery is mediation where neutral third-party mediator tries helping both sides reach settlement agreement avoiding need for trial; however if unsuccessful case moves towards trial adding more time onto timeline as scheduling coordinating court dates can take several months.

At trial, both sides present their case before a judge or jury who then decides the outcome. Trials can last from a day to several weeks depending on the complexity of the case. After trial, there may be an appeal process which could add another year or more to the timeline.

In conclusion, while every personal injury case is unique and follows its own timeline, these are generally the steps involved in such cases. The entire process can take anywhere from a few months to several years depending on various factors like complexity of case, willingness of parties to settle and court schedules. Therefore it’s important for individuals seeking legal redress for personal injuries to be patient and understand that justice might not come quickly but with right lawyer it will eventually come.

Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers
317 George Street, #320, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
732-352-9005