General Concerns To Discuss With Your Lawyer About Your Personal Injury Case
Winning a huge settlement may be the topmost thing in your mind when pursuing a personal injury lawsuit, but it isn't the only thing you should think about. Apart from the legal and financial considerations, there are other general concerns you shouldn't ignore. Examples of such concerns include the following:
Unfavorable Publicity
It's difficult to control what the public hears once the case goes to trial. Therefore, a lawsuit might not be the best thing for you if there are some aspects of your life that you don't want the public to know. Such information doesn't even have to be related to the case at hand for it to be released in court. For example, the defendant might discuss your criminal records to cast you as a dishonest or unreliable witness. If the defendant is accusing you of making a false claim, they may discuss your dire financial situation as a motivating factor.
Ask your lawyer about trial publicity, and don't hide anything from them. It's best for your lawyer to hear these details from you than from the defense. The lawyer may also coach you on how to manage the publicity.
Estimated Length of the Trial
Even if you are expecting a favorable judgment, you should know how long it will take before you get your hands on the settlement check. Lawsuits take time because they have to go through several stages.
- Discovery – Where both sides get relevant information from each other to establish facts of the case.
- Pretrial motions – Which seek rulings on specific issues, such as the court's authority over the parties.
- Trial – Where the court finds out what really happened.
- Appeal – Any side dissatisfied with the ruling can request for its review.
- Judgment collection – in some cases, the defendant won't just hand over the judgment after the ruling; you might have to go back to court to compel them to pay you.
These are some of the reasons it might take two years (or more) before you can get the compensation check. It's good to know this from the outset to prevent unrealistic expectations of quick money.
Your lawyer will be working on your behalf, but you have to make the important decisions. For example, in most cases, negotiations run parallel to the court process. At any stage of the lawsuit, it will be your prerogative to decide whether to accept an offer and quit the court process.
To check it out, contact professionals in your area