What is the process to receive compensation through an accident lawsuit in Merrydale?
Merrydale, LA – When a person is involved in a motor vehicle accident, they will want to meet with a lawyer and try to get payment from the person responsible for their injuries. For those who have never been through this process, they should expect the entire case to take somewhere between a few months to a couple of years on average to resolve. This can vary based on things like the complexity of the case and the number of people involved. An attorney who focuses on this area of the law can give more detailed advice about any of these processes.
Drafting the complaint and filing the case
After the accident victim and their client agree on representation, the lawyer will need to file the lawsuit in the appropriate local civil court system. This includes drafting the complaint, which names the defendant, gives a summary of the time and place of the accident, legal arguments as to why the defendant is responsible, and a statement for relief in the form of monetary damages. A copy of this document also needs to be served to the defendant. After the document is filed, the defendant is given a chance to respond to the allegations against them before the lawsuit proceeds.
The discovery process
Both parties need to be aware of the relevant information in the lawsuit. The discovery process is when the lawyers for the plaintiff and defendant send each other things like pictures, medical records, accident reports, repair estimates, information about witnesses who will be ready to testify and other aspects of the case. This is important for trial preparation, but most motor vehicle accident lawsuits will settle out of court after a sufficient amount of information has been exchanged.
Settlement negotiations
Most accident lawyers will be able to get the defendant and their insurance company to pay out an amount that is able to cover most or all of the plaintiff’s losses. This has become much more common than a full jury trial. A victim who is in the process of accepting a settlement should also be sure to have all of their known and future costs included in the final agreement, as they cannot ask for more money later after accepting.
Accident attorneys are available
Miller, Hampton, and Hilgendorf is a firm that handles motor vehicle accident cases for clients in the Merrydale area. Anyone who needs to meet with an injury attorney in Louisiana can contact the firm for assistance.
USAttorneys.com is a service that works with people who want to find a local lawyer in their city. Anyone who is searching for an attorney can call 800-672-3103 to get a referral.
Firm contact info:
Miller, Hampton, and Hilgendorf
3960 Government St., Baton Rouge, LA 70806
225-343-2205
www.mlhlaw.com
