Injuries from an accident can interrupt your whole life. You can never get back time spent in the hospital and money spent on medical bills, but you can seek compensation for them in a lawsuit. Our attorneys help victims of all kinds of accidents get damages for the medical bills, lost wages, and other harms they experienced in the accident.
We represent victims of car accidents, slip and falls, other property injuries, medical malpractice, work injuries, and more. If you were hurt in any kind of accident, we can identify the responsible parties and fight to get you and your family the compensation you need. We also help with wrongful death claims.
For a free case evaluation, call the personal injury lawyers at Howe Law today at (844) 876-4357.
When to Reach Out to a Personal Injury Lawyer for an Accident in Brentwood, TN
If you were hurt in an accident, you should consider calling a personal injury lawyer for help. It is important to know what kinds of injury cases are the kind that a lawyer can help with and when during the process you should reach out and call us.
Types of Cases to Call a Lawyer For
Generally speaking, you should consider contacting a lawyer in any case where you were injured through no fault of your own. Even in cases where you might have shared partial fault, as long as you were under 50% at fault, our lawyers can potentially help you get compensation from the at-fault party or parties.
If you did not cause the accident, then the person or company who did should be made to pay for the damages they caused you. This can include perhaps a driver who hit your car, a store with a slippery floor, a negligent doctor, or many other possible parties that could be responsible for your accident.
Our attorneys can help you identify who was at fault, gather evidence of their fault, help you identify the damages you can claim, and file your case on your behalf.
When in the Process to Call a Lawyer
You should reach out to an attorney as soon as you can after the accident. Give yourself a day or two to heal, but consider acting fast. In many cases, security camera footage and other evidence could be available, but it might be lost or overwritten within hours or days of the accident. Our lawyers can act quickly to get this evidence, and we can try to find eyewitnesses and other potentially helpful observers before they forget the details of what happened.
Many people wait until they have already contacted insurance before deciding to get a lawyer. While it is always better late than never, it is important not to share too much information with insurance companies or to say anything that might be misconstrued as an admission of fault.
You should also speak to a lawyer before accepting any damages for your accident. If you do accept compensation, that could function as a settlement, ending your case before you even get a chance to file a lawsuit.
How a Personal Injury Case Works in Brentwood, TN
Understanding the process of a personal injury case can help you know what to expect and when you can expect to finally receive payment for the injuries you suffered.
The Accident and Aftermath
After the accident, get medical care to treat your injuries immediately. For auto accidents, always call the police; for accidents in a store or business, always report the accident to the staff. If you are well enough to remain at the scene and collect evidence, get contact information for anyone involved in the accident as well as any witnesses. Take pictures of any physical items or places involved in the accident, such as vehicles damaged in a car crash, a wet floor in a store, or the scene of a workplace accident.
Filing an Insurance Claim
Many cases will start with an insurance claim. However, if the insurance company does not pay the full amount and refuses to negotiate, then you might need to move to a lawsuit.
Filing a Lawsuit
Your lawyer’s research and case-building will culminate in a complaint, a document explaining what happened and why the other party is at fault. Your lawyers will file this document with the court, officially beginning the court case.
Once filed, papers must be served on the defendant to give them notice of the case and an opportunity to respond.
Motions
Both sides will submit motions, with the defense usually asking to have the case thrown out. Our lawyers will respond with motions affirming why the case should proceed. From that point, there may be technical legal issues to resolve before the case can move forward, including questions about evidence, damages, and the likelihood that claims will succeed at trial. Once the case progresses past this stage, you will move to evidence sharing.
Discovery
The stage at which both sides share evidence and take depositions of witnesses is called “discovery.” This process can last quite some time and expose facts that may be helpful or unhelpful for your claim. Ultimately, many cases can be settled after all of the evidence is out in the open.
Settlement Negotiations
Although negotiations usually take place throughout the process, many cases settle after discovery. If the defense still refuses to pay a fair settlement for your damages, the case can move to trial.
Trial and Judgment
During trial, our attorneys will present your case by calling witnesses and showing evidence. We will also argue that your side of the case is strongest. We will also challenge the defense’s evidence and witnesses. Ultimately, if the case goes to trial, the jury will decide who is at fault and how much the damages are worth.
Call Our Personal Injury Lawyers in Brentwood, TN Today
Call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357 for a free case assessment with our personal injury attorneys.
