Personal injury suits happen because injured people don’t have the money to afford the costs created by their injuries. When someone files a personal injury lawsuit, it’s usually because they are already under a heavy financial burden due to hospital bills, expensive medications, high-priced rehabilitation and therapy services, and more. If you’re already paying injury-related costs out of pocket, we suspect you may be looking to alleviate the financial pressure with a quick and easy solution.

Basic Progression of a Personal Injury Case

To be sure, a personal injury suit may not be quick and easy. However, it is often your best bet for recovering the present and future costs of your injuries. If someone else’s negligence or recklessness contributed to your injuries and you choose to file a lawsuit, there are a few things that will have to happen before you can collect compensation for damages:

1. You must hire an experienced personal injury lawyer. No matter how objectively obvious it may seem that the defendant’s negligence caused your injury, you will have great difficulty winning a fair settlement without a personal injury attorney on your side. If your medical bills are more than $1,000 dollars and your injuries are serious enough to keep you out of work for a period of time, you’ll need help getting the settlement you need. By hiring a seasoned legal professional from Casper, Meadows, Schwartz & Cook, you can focus on healing while we work on getting you the money you need to make a full recovery.
2. Your lawyer will gather information about your claim and assess your medical records. One of the first things your attorney will do is ask you to give them a detailed explanation of how your injury occurred so that they have a complete picture of what happened. Your attorney will also want to gather as much official documentation as possible from your doctor about your injury and the specific damage done. This is done in order to ensure you have a viable case. If your medical records and personal account of the incident in question are not enough to convince your attorney that you have a legitimate case, your case may not move forward.
3. Your lawyer will bring demands against the defendant and seek to negotiate. If your case is relatively small, this process may go quickly and you could have access to the funds you need in no time. However, it is often best to wait until you have reached your maximum medical expenses before filing suit. That way you know how much money you need to cover your costs and your lawyer make sure you receive a fair amount based on the total costs of your injury.
4. You and your lawyer will file a lawsuit and begin the discovery process. Once you officially file a lawsuit, both sides begin investigating the other’s claims. There is much back-and-forth involving exchange of documents, requests for relevant information, and so on. This process can take as long as a year, depending on the circumstances of your case.
5. Legal counsel will arrive at a settlement or proceed to trial. After the discovery period is over, your case may be settled out of court through mediation or negotiation. If alternative resolution fails, your case may go to trial, which can be as short as a single day or longer than a year.

It is important to remember that every case is different. Receiving the compensation you need could take more than a year, or it could only take a week. You won’t know until you speak with a seasoned personal injury attorney and get a professional opinion.

Experienced Personal Injury Lawyers in Walnut Creek

No matter what sort of injury you’ve sustained, you will need an experienced personal injury attorney on your side every step of the way. We have served the Contra Costa County and Bay Areas for nearly 40 years and have won hundreds of millions of dollars for our injured clients. Whether you have been injured in a boating accident, motorcycle crash, workplace accident, animal attack, or any other manner, our legal team has seen it all and knows what it takes to get you the compensation you deserve.

Even if you aren’t sure how much your claim is worth or whether or not you have a viable case, our legal team at Casper, Meadows, Schwartz & Cook is prepared to help you figure it out and decide on the best way to move forward.

Take advantage of our free consultations by emailing us, or call us at (925) 275-5592.