There are a lot of different things that you need to take into consideration when you are dealing with medical bills after an injury. If you have filed a personal injury lawsuit, you may be depending on the defendant to come to a settlement to cover the costs.
Unfortunately, personal injury lawsuits can become very complicated. One of the risks that you have to deal with is that you might lose your case. Another issue is that it can take a long time to get the defendant to settle.
Yet another risk is that your case may go to trial. Even if you win, you may have to wait a lot longer to get the compensation that you deserve. You will need to be prepared for a long fight and have plans to deal with the financial issues in the meantime.
Dealing with Complex Medical Bills If Your Personal Injury Case Goes to Trial
You are going to need to know how to pay your medical bills if your case goes to trial. It will be a long fight that you need to deal with.
Cases involving personal injury are very common. This is because there are so many negligent situations that can lead to a serious injury. Although thousands of personal injury cases are filed every year, only about three to four percent of them go to trial. The costs of filing and fighting a case, coupled with the legal procedures and time involved in Court proceedings, are factors that induce people to negotiate and reach an out-of-court settlement. However, a civil lawsuit going to trial is not entirely unheard of.
Circumstances When a Personal Injury Case Could Go to Trial
A personal injury case could go to trial if the other party does not agree that they caused your accident, which resulted in personal injuries to you. If this is the situation that develops, you may find it difficult to hold the other party accountable. You may have to file a case to prove that they caused the accident that resulted in your injury. In this instance, a judge or jury will hear the statements and evidence presented by both sides before deciding who is responsible and why.
Another instance where a personal injury case could go to trial is where both sides agree about the fault but disagree as to the amount of the claim. If you have to deal with an insurance adjuster for the settlement of your claim, they usually employ various tactics that could result in hurried negotiations and you getting a lot less than you hoped for.
Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit
A personal injury lawsuit begins with your filing a complaint in a civil court. As the plaintiff or injured party, you have to decide about the allegations and compensations that you are seeking from the counterparty, now called the defendant. The complaint will include a summons, which will be served on the defendant, asking them to respond to the lawsuit and defend themselves within a reasonable period of time. The defendant will file a response, denying the allegations or accepting some of them.
Both parties have a right to examine each other’s documents. They can come to an agreement through mediation or arbitration. If these efforts fail, the case will go to trial.
What to Expect in a Personal Injury Trial
The first stage is where the witnesses and the evidence for the case are organized on behalf of both parties. This is done by the legal representatives of both parties. Then, the legal representatives select a jury. The jury members should be honest and unbiased. Once the trial begins, opening statements are recorded, witnesses are called and cross-examined, the evidence and circumstances are considered and then closing statements are recorded. After this, the jury deliberates the case and delivers a verdict regarding whether the defendant is at fault or not and, if so, what the compensation awarded to the plaintiff should be.
Depending on the circumstances of the case, there may be a number of complexities and delays involved. This could result in cases being dragged on for years with no end in sight. This is why it is important to hire a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible, whether your case goes to trial or not. The lawyer can negotiate with the insurance company to get an out-of-court settlement. If the case goes to court, the personal injury attorney will be an invaluable help in negotiating the case through courtroom procedures in order to get you a settlement.
Conclusion
If your case has to go to court, you will be thankful if you hire the services of an Orange County injury attorney. An experienced trial lawyer can help you understand the process of bringing a case to trial, and can help you navigate any complications that arise.