A serious accident can disrupt your life unexpectedly. While you deal with physical injuries, you may be confused about what to do next and wondering if you could recover compensation for your losses. If you sustained a serious or disabling injury, a personal injury claim alone may not result in adequate coverage. If you are working with one of the best Philadelphia, PA personal injury attorneys, they may tell you to take your claim to court and they will help you prove the fault of the other party. If you decide to file a personal injury lawsuit, here are the steps you must take to strengthen your case:
Hire the Best Attorney
If you want to file a lawsuit, you need an experienced personal injury lawyer to represent you at trials. Bringing and winning a lawsuit can be hard while you deal with your injury. An attorney who has knowledge can guide you as you take every step of the claims process, from identifying the cause of the accident to fighting for your full financial recovery.
Identify the At-Fault Party
To bring an injury lawsuit, you should be able to identify who is to blame for the accident and your injury. The at-fault party could be a driver, a property owner or manager, a product manager, a carmaker, or someone else, depending on the type of accident you were engaged in and the nature of the accident. Your attorney will help you identify the negligent party and make them liable for your damages.
File the Lawsuit on Time
A personal injury lawsuit in Pennsylvania must be filed within the two-year timeframe. The clock begins to tick from the date you sustained the injury. Filing beyond this timeframe can make you ineligible for financial recovery. Your lawyer will help understand your filing deadline and make sure you meet it.
Negotiate a Settlement
Before your lawsuit ends in court, you and your attorney can negotiate a favorable settlement with the at-fault party’s insurer. Your lawyer will convince the insurer that you deserve a reasonable settlement for the damages you suffered during an arbitration. But, when negotiations fail, your attorney can take your case to court where you may be able to get better results.
Prove Fault
A lot of things may have caused your accident. For instance, if you were in a car accident, it could result from driver negligence or error, a roadway defect, bad weather, or car malfunction. For your lawsuit to succeed, you must prove somebody else’s fault or negligence caused the accident.