If you were in a car accident and sustained an injury, someone should be held responsible for it. Thus, you do not need to pay for the fallout. You can file a personal injury claim to receive compensation for your injury. An injury attorney can help you collect evidence that can support your claim. Keep reading to understand how the claim process works and what your attorney can do for you:
What are Personal Injury Claims?
These claims are lawsuits you can file against a party or parties who caused your injury. A successful lawsuit can get you awarded compensation to match the damages you suffered. Such compensation should be paid by the responsible party.
A personal injury claim can be filed for nearly any type of accident that another person caused because of their negligence. For instance, if you were in a slip and fall accident, got bitten by someone else’s dog, or collided with a vehicle, you could file an injury claim against the at-fault party.
What to Expect in the Personal Injury Claim Process?
Once you received proper medical care for your injury, here are steps you can take to file your personal injury claim:
- Assemble a formal complaint. To file a complaint, ensure you put together the document or complaint to be filed with the court. This complaint offers the basis for your claim. It must describe what took place, how the at-fault party acted negligently, and the amount of compensation you want to receive. After you file your complaint, you must serve the defendant a copy of it.
- Meet all deadlines. In the state of Washington, the personal injury claims process has plenty of moving parts. These parts include strict deadlines you must meet when you file paperwork and take other actions. The main deadline to keep in mind is the statute of limitations, which refers to the amount of time you have to file a claim from the date you got injured. You have three years to file.
- Discover and review. Once the defendant receives your notice and gives an answer to it, the discovery process starts. This process is when you and the defendant exchange information.
- Start settlement negotiations. Your attorney can negotiate for a settlement with the insurance company of the other party. They will discuss terms and present your demand. Your claim is resolved if both sides agree on a settlement amount.
- Go to court. If both parties fail to reach a settlement agreement, your case goes to court. You and the other party will present your cases before a judge or jury.