A Reliable Personal Injury Lawyer Details Critical Steps Before Filing a Lawsuit

If you’ve seen movies or television shows, chances are that you’ve watched courthouse scenes that involve a personal injury lawsuit. You might think that you’ve seen everything there is to know about these cases, but these shows rarely depict what happens before a case is tried. You might be surprised, then, that most personal injury lawsuits don’t even reach a court battle. This is because the critical stages of a personal injury lawsuit happen even before your case goes to trial, and making informed decisions during this early phase can make or break your case.

Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer

Before everything else, you need to retain a professional, competent, and ethical personal injury lawyer in Oklahoma. You have to be very careful when choosing a lawyer, however, since there are many disreputable lawyers who are simply looking to make money off your case.

Make sure to do your research, and seek help from your friends and family in finding a personal injury lawyer. An experienced and trustworthy one will guide you through the murky halls of personal injury lawsuits and will be your true counselor and advocate throughout the whole process.

Drafting the Initial Demand Letter

Once you’ve found a personal injury lawyer you trust, the most common next step is your attorney drafting a demand letter on your behalf. This will contain the facts of your case from your viewpoint. It will also notify the potential defendant should you intend to pursue your case.

Other information that will be included in this letter are descriptions of your injuries, establishment of fault, and possibly a dollar amount in case of settlement. Therefore, provide as many details as you can to your lawyer to make a strong demand letter.

Avoiding an Early Resolution

Depending on the requested settlement amount and the severity of your claim, there is a chance that your case may reach an early resolution. The defendant may opt to settle out early. Insurance companies may also choose this route to avoid a costly litigation process. Your lawyer might suggest that you forego an early resolution, especially if you’re being offered an amount that doesn’t cover all of your expenses.

Should your case progress beyond these steps, then you might be looking at filing an actual lawsuit. No matter the outcome, however, communicate constantly and honestly with your personal injury lawyer so you can receive timely and correct advice on how to proceed.

For more information contact one of our highly qualified Attorneys in the Oklahoma City area call (405) 253-4478 or our main office in Ardmore (580) 798-0447.

Sources:

First Steps in a Personal Injury Lawsuit, findlaw.com
Oklahoma Personal Injury Laws and Statutory Rules, alllaw.com