What is the Timeline For a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

If you have been injured in an accident in New York, the first thing that you should do is to seek medical attention. Your safety and health should always be your No. 1 priority. No matter how minor you think your injuries are, it’s very important that you go to an emergency room or at least get a checkup from your doctor. Furthermore, if you do not see a doctor soon after your accident, the insurance company, or perhaps even the jury, may assume that your injuries were not serious.

If you decide to hire file a lawsuit for your personal injury, you should note that the statute of limitations in New York. This requires that you file a lawsuit within three years from when the incident that caused your injury occurred. If you decide to retain a lawyer, one of the first major steps in getting the personal injury claim process underway is to launch an in-depth investigation of the accident.

While your personal injury lawyer will do the heavy lifting when it comes to the investigation of your injury claim, there are things you can do immediately after the accident that will greatly strengthen your case. If you are able, make sure you take plenty of photographs of the accident scene and your injuries that you may have sustained. Injuries like these will heal with time. Documenting them will help you later when pursuing a personal injury claim.

If you have been hurt in an accident in New York caused by someone’s negligence, contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. The New York personal injury attorneys at Finz & Finz P.C. believe that you deserve maximum compensation for your injuries. We will work hard to help you regain financial stability, pay all of your medical bills, and help you get your life back on track.

The highly skilled and compassionate attorneys at Finz & Finz P.C. know how challenging and stressful it can be in the aftermath of an accident. We want to help in any way we can. Our lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means you will not owe us a cent until you get compensation. Call 855-TOP-FIRM now to schedule a free initial consultation.

Personal Injury Claim Timeline

The vast majority of personal injury claims are settled out of court before a trial even takes place. Generally, the parties will reach a settlement before the lawsuit is filed. However, no two New York personal injury cases are exactly alike.

The following steps make up the timeline of a typical personal injury claim in New York:

1. Accident happens. There are many different ways in which you can sustain an injury in New York due to the negligence or carelessness of another party. Some of the most common accidents we at Finz & Finz P.C see are car accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, truck accidents, bicycle accidents, and slips, trips, and falls. As noted, the first thing you should do is seek medication attention.

2. Contact a personal injury attorney. After you have been treated for your injuries, it is critical that you contact a qualified personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Your lawyer can give you important guidance to help you strengthen your claim. Furthermore, they can gather information to help determine the full extent of your injuries and losses.

3. Investigate claim. Your New York personal injury lawyer will conduct a thorough investigation of the accident scene to help prove negligence occurred and determine whether you have a viable claim. A lawyer will review the important information such as the police or accident report, photos or surveillance footage of the accident scene, witness accounts, and medical records.

4. File an insurance claim or demand a settlement. This involves a demand for settlement, including a demand letter to the insurance company describing your case, liability, and damages. Damages may include medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering, among other damages.

5. Discovery process. If a fair settlement cannot be reached, your lawyer will take your case to trial. Prior to trial, they will obtain further evidence from the opposing side during the discovery process. During this time, they will further evaluate the comprehensive nature of the other side’s case.

6. Mediation. Mediation is an informal proceeding where the opposing parties try to reach an agreement. A mediator may oversee this process, which is done in an effort to avoid a trial.

7. Trial. A trial allows you to take your claim directly to a judge, who can issue a final ruling. In some cases, a claim is tried before a jury. A judge or jury will, after hearing arguments from both sides, issue a final ruling about the compensation due to the victim.

Contact a New York Personal Injury Attorney

Personal injuries are physically, emotionally, and financially draining. Allow the New York personal injury lawyers at Finz & Finz, P.C. to take care of all the heavy lifting involved with your personal injury claim. This will enable you to focus your time and energy on what’s most important: your health and recovery. We will strive to negotiate for a full and fair settlement with the injuries. If this does not occur, we’ll take your case to trial, where we know what needs to be done to help you get the justice and compensation you deserve.

The injury attorneys at Finz & Finz, P.C. are here to assist New Yorkers who have been hurt by the negligence of others. Allow our skilled and compassionate team to help you get the full and fair compensation you deserve. Call us today at 855-TOP-FIRM to schedule a free and confidential consultation.