If I Want To Make A Claim For Personal Injuries, Does That Mean My Case Will Have To Go To Trial?

Only five percent of cases ever see a courtroom. This means that many cases are either settled or mediated.

Filing a lawsuit

For those cases that don’t settle, the next step is for the injured person (the Plaintiff) to start a lawsuit against the at-fault party (the Defendant). Legal time limits (Statutes of Limitation) could force you to file a lawsuit or lose yours claim all together.

In almost all situations, the Defendant’s liability insurance company will provide an attorney to represent the Defendant. Once a lawsuit has been started, the Plaintiff and Defendant can still settle the case at any point before trial.

Personal Injury Cases

In personal injury cases, a trial will be set for about twelve months after the lawsuit is started. During the first few months after the start of a lawsuit, both parties can obtain from each other information relevant to the case. This is called the discovery phase. After this, the parties prepare their cases for trial or arbitration.

Attorney at Law

Blado Kiger Bolan, Tacoma, Wash.