Every year, hundreds, if not thousands, of US citizens, get injured in a car accident, and most victims suffer debilitating and permanent injuries.
If you got hurt in a car accident in Dallas, TX, you might be wondering what steps to take next or whether to file a lawsuit with the help of a good attorney.
The Process of a Car Accident Lawsuit
When you are involved in a car accident in Dallas, TX, it might greatly impact your life. Each year, 2.3 million people get injured in the US in car accidents. Those injuries often come with a lengthy recovery process and steep medical bills. Insurers will give you a settlement, but unfortunately, it is often a low-ball offer.
In order to get the compensation amount you really deserve, you might want to file a claim. Here is where the best car accident attorneys in Dallas, TX, come in. A qualified and experienced lawyer will explain how the process works and advise you on the right steps to take.
Steps of an Auto Accident Trial
If your attorney advises you to take the trial option to get the financial compensation you deserve, they will outline what you should expect from every phase of the trial process.
Your attorney will not just represent you. They will also attend the hearing and pre-trial meeting. Generally, the trial process will encompass the following steps:
- A phase of discovery: This refers to a pre-trial stage where all the parties can learn what other people know. It often encompasses the exchange of details through requests for evidence or depositions. It helps both parties to get prepared for trial.
- Jury selection: After the pre-trial phase, the lawyers representing both parties will ask jurors a couple of questions to find around 12 members of the jury.
- Opening statements: During the trial, the process will start with open statements from the two parties. These opening statements summarize what a lawyer plans to prove throughout the process.
- Evidence presentation: This is where both the defendants and plaintiffs have a chance to present expert testimony, eyewitnesses, documents, records, and other types of evidence so they prove their cases.
- Closing arguments: Once pieces of evidence are presented, both parties will give closing arguments. They must discuss the evidence, which was presented and persuade the jury to make a conclusion.
- Deliberation of plaintiffs and verdict: This involves the jury receiving instructions and deliberating if plaintiffs have met their burden of proof. If that is so, plaintiffs will be given financial compensation. But if not, the defendants will be pronounced not liable.
Where to File a Case
A car accident lawsuit is regarded as a civil case as opposed to a criminal case. Even when the at-fault drivers break the law and are facing criminal charges, you may still have to file a civil case for your accident. Since you are based in Dallas, TX, you can file a case in Dallas County District Court.
The Takeaway
The process of filing a lawsuit can be very confusing. This is why it would be best to depend on a car accident attorney who is qualified and has a track record of solving cases similar to yours.
