How to Choose a Car Accident Lawyer for Judicial Proceedings

The fi

st step of most c

ccident c

ses is to file cl

ims

ith the insunce comp

nies of li

ble pties to seek p

yment fo

you

losses.

hile some insunce cl

ims

e successful

nd c csh victims get the compens

tion they need, m

ny cl

ims don’t go

s pl

nned. The

e c

n be del

ys, lo

b

ll offe

s,

nd even deni

ls of v

lid cl

ims. Insu

nce comp

nies c

n pl

y hdb

ll

nd

ill do eve

ything possible to limit the

mount they p

y out to cl

im

nts.

hile

n <

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ef="https:

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inju

yvictims.com

se

vices

c

–

ccident-

tto

ney-houston

“>expe

ienced c

ccident

tto

ney > c

n often help imp

ove you

ch

nces

t

f

vo

ble insu

nce settlement, some cl

ims just don’t end

s they should.

n insunce comp

ny simply m

y not be

illing (o

ble due to policy limits) to offe

h

t

n inju

ed

ccident victim t

uly dese

ves. In these situ

tions, it’s usu

lly time to esc

l

te the m

ttend file

pe

son

l inju

y cl

im in civil cou

t.

<

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ef=”https://c

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son

l-inju

y-lye

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q

“>pe

son

l inju

y lsuit<> is

judici

l p

oceeding just like

ny type of contct cl

im, divo

ce, onothe

type of l

suit. Once you file

cl

im in cou

t, the g

me ch

nges signific

ntly. The

e e st

ict

ules

nd p

ocedu

es th

t don’t

pply to the insu

nce p

ocess,

nd complying

ith

ll

equi

ements is essenti

l fo

the success of you

cl

im. In f

ct, f

iling to p

ope

ly h

ndle

judici

l p

oceeding c

n jeopdize you

c

se

nd you

ights

ltogethe

. Fo

this

e

son, you nt the

IGHT l

ye

fo

you

pe

son

l inju

y p

oceedings. Choosing

n

tto

ney fo

n insu

nce cl

im is one thing, but he

ding to cou

t is quite

nothe

. You nt

l

ye

on you

side

ho h

s expe

ience

ith l

suits

nd

ho c

n

ep

esent you f

om the initi

l judici

l filing to the

esolution of you

c

se. To choose the <

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ef="https:

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inju

yvictims.com

c

–

ccident-lye

-fo

-judici

l-p

oceedings

“>best l

ye

fo

judici

l p

oceedings >, you should h

ve

n ide

of <

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

questions-fo

-c-

ccident-l

ye

“>ho

c

ccident lsuit

o

ks<>. The follo

ing is

b

ief ove

vie

of this leg

l p

ocess.

Filing the C

ccident Lsuit<

h2>
L

suits seeking compens

tion fo

c

ccident inju

ies

e civil l

suits,

lso kno

n

s pe

son

l inju

y o

to

t c

ses. Civil lsuits genelly follo simil p

th to

d

conclusion,

s they

ll st

t

ith the filing of

compl

int

ith the loc

l civil cou

t. Fo

ex

mple, if you

ccident h

ppened in Houston, you

compl

int

ould get filed in the <

h

ef=”https://

.hcdist

ictcle

k.com

Common/Civil/Civil_Cou

t_Info

m

tion.

spx”>H

is County Dist

ict Cou

t<>. Youtto

ney should kno

the p

ope

cou

t

he

e you should file you

c

se,

hich is

n impo

t

nt det

il. M

ny st

tes limit the time in

hich you c

n file

l

suit,

nd you

l

ye

should be

ble to tell you ho

long you h

ve in you

situ

tion

nd m

ke su

e they file you

cl

im befo

e the st

tute of limit

tions expi

es. Fo

inst

nce, if you

st

te

equi

es you to file

ithin t

o yes of the d

te of the inju

y, <

h

ef="https:

/st

tutes.c

pitol.tex

s.gov

Docs/CP/htm/CP.16.htm”>

s Tex

s does, > then you h

ve t

o yes f

om the d

te of the c

ccident o

hen you discove

ed you

inju

ies fo

you

tto

ney to file the c

se.

You

compl

int

ill need to include

ll the

lleg

tions th

t you’

e m

king,

hich usu

lly include th

t the defend

nt s negligent

nd should be li

ble fo

you

inju

ies. It

ill

lso st

te

h

t

elief you’

e seeking,

hich in

c

ccident c

se, is monety compens

tion fo

you

losses. You

nt

lyeho c

n p

epe

pe

su

sive compl

int,

hich c

n help you

position f

om the stt. The othe

d

ivend thei

insu

nce comp

ny,

hich is most likely p

ying fo

thei

defense

g

inst you

cl

im, h

s

specific

mount of time to

espond to you

petition. The

esponse m

y include

n

ns

e

, in

hich the defend

nt

dmits o

denies e

ch of the

lleg

tions. It m

y

lso include counte

cl

ims,

hich

llege th

t you

lso cont

ibuted to the c

ccident

nd

e

esponsible fo

you

o

n losses. It m

y include c

oss-cl

ims,

hich

ill t

y to bl

me the csh on

nothe

defend

nt if the

e is one.

fte

the defend

nt files thei

esponse, you

lyeill h

ve

set time pe

iod to

espond

g

in.

Dfting

nd Filing P

eliminy Motions<

h2>
The

e

numbe

of motions the defend

nt c

n file th

t m

y

ffect you

c

se, including:

• Motion to dismiss,
  hich does not necessily dispute the f

  cts of the c

  se but m

  y

  gue the suit

  s b

  ought in

  n untimely m

  nne

  o

  th

  t no

  elief is

  nted

• Motion fo
  

  emov

  l,

  hich

  ill move you

  c

  se f

  om st

  te cou

  t to fede

  l cou

  t (the motion needs to sho

  th

  t the c

  se eithe

  involves fedel l o

  th

  t the defend

  nt is f

  om

  diffe

  ent st

  te)

• Motion fo
  ch

  nge of venue,

  hich, if successful,

  ill move you

  c

  se to

  diffe

  ent cou

  thouse<

  li>

• Motion fo
  

  ch

  nge of judge,

  hich

  ill get you

  c

  se moved to

  ne

  cou

  t

  oom<

  li>

ith

ll but the motion to dismiss, the c

se

ill still continue even if the cou

t gnts the motion. If othe

motions

e g

nted, you

lye

m

y h

ve to

djust thei

leg

l sttegy

cco

dingly.

P

e-T

i

l

If you su

vive the motion to dismiss, the judge

ill then set

futu

e d

te fo t

i

l. Pe

son

l inju

y c

ses e usu

lly scheduled

ound othe

types of civil c

ses, so you shouldn’t be su

p

ised if you

t

i

l d

te is fu

the

in the futu

e th

n you

ould’ve im

gined.

The judge m

y

lso decide to o

de

you

nd the defend

nt into medi

tion. In medi

tion, you

nd you

c

ccident

tto

ney

ill meet

ith the defend

nt

nd theitto

neys fo

sessions modeted by

neut

l thi

d-pty medi

to

. The medi

to

guides you

conve

s

tion

nd t

ies to b

ing

bout coope

tion

nd

g

eement bet

een you. If you

e

ch

f

vo

ble

g

eement, you c

n solidify it in

medi

tion

g

eement,

hich is

leg

lly binding cont

ct,

nd the litig

tion

on’t p

oceed f

om the

e.

Discove

y<

h2>
If medi

tion is unsuccessful, you

c

se

ill then move to the discove

y ph

se. Discove

y is the pe

iod

hen lye

s f

om e

ch side investig

te the f

cts

nd obt

in

ddition

l evidence. It m

y involve inte

vie

ing

itnesses

nd ex

mining documents,

mong m

ny othe

things. Both sides must she

ith the othe

ll info

m

tion g

the

ed du

ing discove

y

nd must

ct in

cco

d

nce

ith st

ict

nd complex <

h

ef=”https://

.uscou

ts.gov/sites/def

ult

files/

ules%20of%20Civil%20P

ocedu

e.">

ules of civil p

ocedu

e > th

t gove

n discove

y.

You

c

ccident l

ye

m

y

nt to inte

vie

d

ive

s,

itnesses,

nd

ny othe

people

ho might h

ve info

m

tion impo

t

nt to the c

se. Often, these inte

vie

s t

ke pl

ce in

p

oceeding c

lled

deposition.

tto

neys f

om both sides should be p

esent

t the depositions

nd c

n

sk questions. The people being deposed e unde

o

th, just

s they

ould be on the

itness st

nd in cou

t,

nd

cou

t

epo

te

t

kes do

n thei

esponses. You

lye

c

n use deposition tnsc

ipts to build you

c

se

nd in cou

t.

If you

lye

thinks the defend

nt h

s documents o

info

m

tion

el

ting to the c csh th

t c

n help you

c

se, they m

y

sk fo

the defend

nt to p

oduce the documents o

info

m

tion

s p

t of discove

y. Both depositions

nd documents p

oduced du

ing discove

y e evidence th

t you

tto

ney c

n use

t you

t

i

l. They c

n

lso use

ny info

m

tion o

evidence they obt

ined to g

in

biggedv

nt

ge du

ing settlement negoti

tions. M

ny

tto

neys fo

defend

nts

ill t

y to

e do

n

c

ccident victim du

ing discove

y. They m

y t

y to

equest copious

mounts of info

m

tion o

m

y dump

mount

in of documents on

pl

intiff in

esponse to

discove

y

equest. You

nt

lyeho c

n h

ndle these ch

llenges

nd identify the info

m

tion th

t is impo

t

nt

nd th

t c

n help you

c

se

ithout getting bogged do

n.

Post-Discove

y

If you

nd you

c

ccident

tto

ney think th

t the evidence g

the

ed du

ing discove

y suppo

ts you

cl

ims fo

compens

tion f

om the othe

d

ive

, you

l

ye

m

y file

motion fo

summ

y judgment. Such

motion

equests th

t the judge decides the outcome of the c

se

ithout heings o t

i

l. Youtto

ney should suppo

t the motion

ith

ccomp

nying evidence

nd

pplic

ble leg

l theo

ies. If the judge gnts the motion, the

e

ill be no dispute ove

the f

cts

lleged in the c

se.

deni

l of the motion me

ns the judge believes

t

i

l is needed to

esolve disputed f

cts. If you

c

se continues

y this st

ge, you

l

ye

ill be eng

ging in t

i

l p

ep

tion, but they

ill

lso be negoti

ting

ith the othe

side. T

i

ls

e costly in m

ny ys—money, time,

nd ene

gy—

nd often, p

ties

nt to

void

t

i

l. If you h

ve skilled negoti

to

h

ndling you

cl

im, they m

y be

ble to

e

ch

n

g

eement

ith the defend

nt

nd the insu

nce comp

ny th

t is sufficient to cove

you

losses. If you get

settlement

g

eement, you

c

se ends

nd you don’t h

ve to go to t

i

l. The lge m

jo

ity of c

ccident cl

ims

e

ch esolution

t this st

ge of the litig

tion p

ocess,

nd only

sm

ll pe

cent

ge go to t

i

l.

c

ccident settlement c

n be confidenti

l, but

t

i

l

eco

d

nd

esult is not.

If You

C

se Goes to T

i

l<

h2>
Even though not m

ny c

ccident l

suits

e

ch the t

i

l st

ge, the

e is

lys

ch

nce th

t you

c

se

ill m

ke it into the cou

t

oom. You

nt to m

ke su

e you

tto

ney h

s extensive cou

t

oom expe

ience in c

se this h

ppens. The

e

e t

o kinds of t

i

ls—

bench t

i

l in f

ont of

judge o

ju

y t

i

l. In

bench t

i

l, the judge

ules on

ll f

ctu

l

nd leg

l issues in the c

se.

ju

y t

i

l me

ns th

t

ju

y of you

pee

s

ill decide on the f

cts of

h

t h

ppened

nd the judge

ill

pply the l to those f

cts.

T

i

ls

e st

ictly

egul

ted by the <

h

ef="https:

/

.l.co

nell.edu/

ules

f

e">

ules of evidence >

nd civil p

ocedu

e. You

lye

should not only be f

mili

ith

ll of the

ules, but should

lso be confident

hen p

esenting you

c

se in compli

nce

ith those

ules.

st

ong t

i

l

tto

ney should be quick, ch

ism

tic,

nd pe

su

sive,

nd should p

esent you

c

se

nd you

losses in

m

nne

th

t

ins ove

the ju

y. The ju

y

ill be deciding not only

ho p

ev

ils in the c

se but

lso ho

much you should

eceive

s you

pe

son

l inju

y d.

Finding the

ight Litig

to

fo

You

C

se<

h2>
You should conside

the possibility of litig

tion du

ing you

initi

l sech fo lye

. Should you

c

se p

oceed to the cou

ts, you

nt

lyeho kno

s the det

ils of you

cl

im

nd

ho h

s the

bility to st

nd up

nd

ep

esent you du

ing litig

tion, in settlement negoti

tions,

nd

t t

i

l

hen needed. The follo

ing

e some qu

lities to look fohen hi

ing you

lye

:

• Expe
  ience - Does the lye

  litig

  te m

  ny c

  ses? Do they hesit

  te to file

  lsuit

  hen it’s necess

  y fo

  client’s inte

  ests?<

  li>

• Connections – Does the
  tto

  ney

  egully

  o

  k in this pticul ju

  isdiction? Cou

  ts e

  ll diffe

  ent,

  nd it often helps to kno

  people in the cou

  t

  nd unde

  st

  nd thei

  p

  efe

  ences.

• eput

  tion –

  hen

  l

  ye

  h

  s

  eput

  tion

  s

  st

  ong t

  i

  l

  tto

  ney, the othe

  pty m

  y be mo

  e

  illing to

  g

  ee to

  f

  vo

  ble settlement befo

  e the t

  i

  l st

  ge.

  eput

  tion c

  n go

  long y du

  ing the l

  suit p

  ocess,

  s the othe

  side’s lye

  s

  ill kno

  you me

  n business.<

  li>

• esou

  ces – Litig

  tion c

  n be costly, even if you don’t go to t

  i

  l. You

  nt

  lyeho h

  s the

  esou

  ces to cove

  the costs of litig

  tion fo

  you, so you don’t h

  ve to come up

  ith the funds to continue you

  c

  se. You c

  n then

  eimbu

  se you

  tto

  ney fo

  the costs out of you

  settlement.<

  li>

Cont

ct Expe

ienced C

ccident Litig

to

s fossist

nce

Look fo

te

m of c

ccident

tto

neys

ith the expe

ience, connections,

eput

tion,

nd

esou

ces to go to b

t fo

you in judici

l p

oceedings—someone

ho isn’t

fid to use t

i

l skills

s leve

ge, so opposing l

ye

s kno

they

on’t b

ck down.