A personal injury case can arise when a party sustains an injury because of another party’s negligence. If you are an injured victim in an accident, you may want to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover the compensation you can use to pay for your medical bills, compensate for the wages you lost due to your injury, and pay for your pain and suffering.
When you file an injury claim, you must do so within the timeline provided by state law. In Pennsylvania, you have a couple of years from the date of your accident to file a claim against the at-fault party. To make sure you don’t miss necessary filing deadlines, work with one of the best Philadelphia, PA personal injury attorneys. Also, your attorney will determine how much compensation you can expect to get, especially if you are partially responsible for the accident.
Under state law, you may recover monetary compensation from a negligent party only if you are less than 51% responsible for the accident. If you think you have a solid injury claim, here are the steps you must follow:
File a Complaint
Your injury attorney can file a complaint for you that states your identity, who caused the accident, as well descriptions of what took place and your injuries. Also, they may include more information on the at-fault party and the workplace. The complaint may include details on the location of the accident and the names of all parties involved. After the complaint has been filed, it will be served to the defendant. The defendant and their attorney must respond to your complaint within a set amount of time.
Exchange Information with the Other Party
During the discovery period, you and the other party will exchange statements, recorded testimonies of the accident under oath, and documents related to the accident. Sometimes, both parties may question an expert witness.
Settle Your Claim or Take Your Case to Trial
Settling your personal injury claim outside of court can let you avoid effort and time in court. But, if the responsible party refuses to settle, you can proceed to court. When this happens, a court or jury will determine liability and the amount of money this party should pay the other. In your personal injury case, you may be able to recover compensation for different damages such as medical expenses, lost wages, loss of life enjoyment, loss of earning capacity, emotional distress, property damage, and more.