If you are involved in or have ever been through a personal injury lawsuit in Williamsport, Pennsylvania you know they can take a long time to resolve. This is not always the case, but certain steps in the process can take months, and a settlement may be a couple of years away. Contacting legal representation is usually the first step of setting litigation in motion. If it is a minor incident with no major medical bills accruing, you may not need a personal injury lawyer to represent you. You can represent yourself especially if you understand the process. But, large medical bills, serious injuries, and loss of work for extended periods may warrant hiring legal representation to increase your chances of being fairly compensated.
First Steps in the Process
After you have dealt with the initial medical treatment from an injury, determination of what happened and who is at fault can begin. If it is more than a minor incident, this is the time to consult with a personal injury lawyer. Insurance companies may want you to settle before you have a chance to seek legal representation. This can wind up in less compensation for you. It can be beneficial to get an attorney as soon as possible to initiate the process without much delay from the time it happens. Facts and information are still fresh and accurate and an attorney can ensure you are fairly compensated. Your legal representation can build a strong case in these early stages. There is a statute of limitations that varies from state to state to keep in mind. Typically it can be from 1-3 years. If the length of time is too long between the time of the incident and filing a lawsuit, you may not be able to start a case.
Some factors may slow down the process. Long recovery times and extensive medical treatment can delay a case. More complex cases that involve deeper factual and legal work may also cause delays. The early stages of building a case are crucial to success. Your legal counsel should be highly qualified to be able to understand the complexity of your situation and effectively represent you.
Legal Representation
A qualified attorney will increase your chances of gaining compensation and redress for injury or loss you have experienced. While you may represent yourself, and this can be fine for smaller cases, a Williamsport personal injury lawyer will be able to dedicate resources, time, and knowledge you may not be capable of. Legal representation can increase reward amounts because they may have negotiation abilities and connections to additional resources that could be more difficult for you to obtain.
Before a lawsuit begins, your legal representation may advise that medical treatment should be completed. Once the plaintiff is mostly recovered and has stopped medical treatment, a settlement amount to seek can be determined better. If litigation can be avoided, then this would be ideal for the plaintiff at this point. A professional lawyer can often negotiate well and avoid filing a lawsuit for smaller claims. Cases that involve large medical bills and have a certain level of complexity may not be as easy to resolve, however. The litigation phase may be unavoidable if negotiations break down. A lawsuit and the process of seeking a fair judgment will need to begin.
Waiting For Outcomes
It is hard to determine how long a personal injury lawsuit can take to conclude. Several factors determine how long a settlement or reward will take to be paid. The more complex a case is, the longer it might take. Once you hire legal representation and start a case, the discovery process can begin. During this phase of the process, there is an opportunity to negotiate and attempt to settle. This can sometimes lead to an expedient and favorable result without having to continue with a lawsuit.
It is important to be patient and understand that this type of lawsuit can take a few years. A lawsuit may be started sooner depending on the statute of limitations and when the incident happened. Ideally, a speedy settlement is what most people desire so having professional legal representation can help when negotiating rewards.
What Happens During a Settlement?
If a personal injury case has gone to litigation and a trial ensues, there can be a length of time before a settlement is gained. Once a trial concludes and a verdict is reached, the next step is to appeal. If there are no appeals then the collection process happens which is the last step in a personal injury lawsuit. A lawyer may need to employ methods of collection that can involve garnishing wages of the defendant and other ways to acquire the amount awarded in the judgment. Settlements can be paid in installments and lump sums. An attorney will advise their client on how to collect their payments.
Seeking Professional Services
If you are involved in a personal injury case, it is crucial to have the best representation for positive outcomes. Some firms like Rieders, Travis, Humphrey, Waters & Dohrmann handle these types of cases. Establishing a good relationship with your attorney is important so they can work most efficiently on your behalf. There are many benefits of having legal representation fight for you. If you represent yourself you may not get the most compensation and wind up in a financially negative situation. A skilled attorney knows how to negotiate and get settlements as quickly as possible for you.
