What to Expect from the Personal Injury Litigation Process

If you suffer injuries in a car accident, do you have to file an injury lawsuit in San Francisco?  Can you recover your damages through a Bay Area personal injury settlement?  And does a personal injury lawsuit in the Bay Area allow you to recover more than a settlement? 

These are all questions you might have, if you are injured in the Bay Area.  When you are injured by another’s carelessness, California law allows you to recover compensation for your injuries.  To do so, you need to prove the other party’s negligence and substantiate your injuries and expenses.

Bay Area personal injury litigation

Sometimes the negligent party is not insured, your injuries are very severe, or the settlement offer from the insurance company is not acceptable to you.  In these cases, consult with a Bay Area injury attorney about your case.  A lawyer can review your circumstances and advise if filing a Bay Area personal injury lawsuit makes sense.   If you are going to file a lawsuit, be sure to record all the details of the accident, gather witnesses and their contact information, and protect any evidence you may have.

An attorney will draw up paperwork to file a Bay Area personal injury lawsuit and must file it with the court within two years of the accident date.  The parties to the case are notified of the lawsuit and the attorneys from both sides begin discovery. During discovery, the attorneys use interrogatories and depositions to collect evidence and information about the facts of the case.

Personal injury settlement in the Bay Area

Once a trial date is set, attorneys from both sides usually begin negotiations for an injury settlement.  In the Bay Area, most personal injury lawsuits settle before they go to court.  However, if a settlement cannot be reached outside of court, the case gets heard by a jury.  The jury provides a decision on fault and will determine the amount of damages to award.

Contact us

Determining fault and measuring the extent of your injuries can be an emotional and complicated process, especially if your injuries are severe.  Albert G. Stoll, A Law Corporation can evaluate your case, negotiate a favorable settlement, and if necessary, file a lawsuit in the Bay Area to recover for your losses.  Contact us now to get the compensation you deserve.