What Can I Expect From My Personal Injury Claim in Tallahassee?

If you think you might be eligible to receive compensation by filing a personal injury claim, you are probably wondering about the process. How long will it take? Will it be hard to win? How do I start?

An experienced Tallahassee personal injury lawyer will be able to guide you through each step, making the process as free from anxiety as possible. While each case is different, there are some general stages in a personal injury claim.

Our Tallahassee Personal Injury Lawyer Can Be Involved Right from the Start

When you are injured by no fault of your own, the first thing you should do is seek medical help. A thorough medical exam could detect injuries that are not immediately obvious, and early treatment provides the best opportunity for a full recovery.

But after you take care of immediate medical concerns, you need to start thinking about the future. If you may file a personal injury claim, you will want to start laying the groundwork and collecting evidence as soon as possible. 

A consultation with a personal injury lawyer in Tallahassee is a great place to start. Your personal injury attorney can help gather evidence while it is fresh and provide advice to help you avoid saying or doing something that could jeopardize your right to recover.

Investigation and Negotiation by a Tallahassee Personal Injury Lawyer

Filing a lawsuit is actually not one of the first things you will see happen in a personal injury claim. The Tallahassee personal injury lawyer will first investigate to determine who could be held liable for the injury. During the process, the attorney will gather and preserve evidence that can be used in negotiations and at trial. Medical records will form a crucial part of that evidence, so it is important to follow up with the doctor as advised.

Many personal injury claims settle before going to trial. However, this will only happen if the party responsible knows you have evidence that could be used against them in court. So, your personal injury attorney will be building the strongest case right from the start.

The Personal Injury Trial Process

If the other side does not offer a settlement that provides fair compensation for your injuries, your Tallahassee personal injury lawyer can write up the arguments and evidence supporting your claim and file your case in court. For many personal injury claims, such as car accidents or slip and fall cases, the lawsuit must be filed within four years under the statute of limitations. For a wrongful death claim, however, the case must be filed within two years of the date of death. Medical malpractice claims also have a two-year statute of limitations, but the period generally does not start to run until you learn (or should realize) that the malpractice occurred.

After the claim is filed, each side may try to gain information from the other through a formal investigation known as discovery. This includes requests for documents, written questions (interrogatories), and taking statements from witnesses (depositions). The process can take up to a year, but the case could settle at any point during that time. Once discovery is complete, if negotiations have not led to a settlement, your personal injury attorney will present your case in court.

Talk to a Tallahassee Personal Injury Lawyer to Learn What to Expect in Your Particular Case

Every injury situation is unique, and there will always be factors that make your case different from others. When you schedule a consultation with a Tallahassee personal injury lawyer, your attorney can review your situation and explain what is likely to happen in your particular case. To talk to one of our experienced personal injury lawyers, reach out online today or call 888-549-7011.