Personal injury cases are a methodical and drawn out process, by nature. They are also somewhat complicated, especially when serious, catastrophic injuries or even wrongful death are involved. It is helpful to our clients to know what to expect – what will happen and what steps these cases follow. Whether you have a case pending or just are curious about the process should you ever find yourself involved in a personal injury claim, we outline the process here for your benefit. Note that your actions during and following any type of accident or injury directly affect your case outcome.

Always Get Professional Medical Attention Always Document Everything, Save Everything

Immediately after an injury, you should seek medical input and treatment. Sometimes people have injuries that are not immediately apparent, so it is smart to get examined thoroughly by a doctor. Also this first visit to a medical facility means that the injury is now documented you’re your end, if you are able, write down everything you can remember about the occurrence, and take pictures of the scene, the incident, your injuries, anything you are able to take pictures of or have someone else do so. Be sure you keep receipts and record all medical visits to every different practitioner, and take notes about what occurred on these visits.

Meet With A Skilled Personal Injury / Catastrophic Injury Attorney

You may not be sure how strong your case is. Get a professional opinion from an experienced attorney. When you see the attorney, bring notes, records, and pictures with you or have your spouse or family member gather these things. In the initial free consultation, your case will be evaluated to determine how likely it is that a settlement could be obtained, or if there is possibly the need to take the case to court. Your attorney will consider all the facts of the incident and the case and the laws involved. He or she will explain the case merits and the possible expenses that the attorney may have in pursuing the case, and the potential settlement amount, although this is only a rough estimation. He or she will give you guidance on how to proceed and at this time, you can ask questions about the process. Trial cases of course cost more than those that reach a settlement. Sometimes injured parties and their families accept the first amount an insurance company offers them, and this is often a mistake. To ensure you get ALL your expenses covered and all you deserve, it’s wise to leave it to a professional law firm. Remember, this is when it is best if you have kept records, because the more info you bring to the attorney, the better.

Paperwork, Initial Filings

With these cases, there is much paperwork to be done, and your legal team should explain this to you. At the beginning of a lawsuit, legal papers filed in a case are called pleadings. All cases follow this first step, even though many different documents are involved. You will be asked to fill out a Complaint/Petition, which is a formal announcement of your intention to seek damages regarding the accident that occurred. It identifies all the injuries that were sustained and all symptoms and medical problems being experienced. This document identifies the entity that you are suing and lists all allegations against them. Multiple parties may be involved. These formal legal complaints follow very strict standards based on local and state laws, and their creation and execution are very important to your case. If your accident took place in Knoxville, Pigeon Forge or surrounding areas, our serious injury firm fully understands how to best prepare these critical documents. In Part Two of this article, we’ll list the remaining steps in your Tennessee injury case.