How You Can Help Your Personal Injury Attorney
Michael Babboni
Personal Injury
When hiring a personal injury attorney, you are gaining an advocate to help you navigate the claims process and help ensure you get the compensation you are entitled to. You want your attorney to be as successful as possible. For this to happen, you need to play an active role and help with the personal injury claim process.Understand It Takes Time
First and foremost, you must understand the process can take some time. Some may even be surprised by how long it can take after filing a claim. Personal injury cases are not the same as criminal cases that require a speedy trial. There are many stages of the process that need to happen.
• Negotiations: Before the claim is filed, your attorney will gather all the evidence they need, including your medical records, medical bills, pictures and videos from the scene of the accident, witness statements, accident reports, etc. Once this has been done, a demand letter is written and sent to the defendant and the insurance company.
• Filing the Suit: Next, the lawsuit will be filed. This process alone can take months to accomplish. This is because the attorney will now need to draft the lawsuit, gather more evidence, conduct Discovery, and attend hearings. It can take weeks to months to file the complaint and initiate the process of serving the defendant with the lawsuit.
• Discovery: This is the stage where formal requests for records are made, and interrogations are conducted. Discovery requests are drafted and served, which also takes time. It can take even longer when requests for extensions by either side are made.
• Depositions: Next comes the depositions, which are a vital part of the Discovery process. These are sworn testimonies taken to cross-examine witnesses and gather more information to use during trial. Preparing for and conducting depositions can also prove to be another lengthy process.
After all this, there are stages in which expert witness testimony is gathered, settlement negotiations are done, and trial preparation happens. Other important tasks must be completed, including filing motions, answering counterclaims, monitoring settlement opportunities, presenting objections, and so on.
Avoid Social Media
Aside from understanding that the process can take time, it is also in your best interest to avoid social media when it comes to communicating with your attorney. It is prohibited under an ethical code placed on Florida lawyers.
There should be no interaction between yourself and your attorney on any social media platform in any way. This included answering queries online in blog post comments or anything else that can be publicly viewed.
You also want to refrain from discussing the details of your case on social media, including talking about your injuries. The defense’s team may be going over your social media accounts with a fine tooth comb looking for anything they can use to counter the claims you are making in your personal injury lawsuit.
Steering clear of social media also helps ensure confidentiality and privacy regarding your personal injury case.
Exercise Patience
In addition to everything above, remember that your attorney will require some patience on your part. They understand the laws and statutes that must be followed to get justice for your injuries and damages. Let them do their job.
If you have any questions along the way, don’t be afraid to ask. They will fill you in on negligence laws related to your accident and premises liability if it applies to a slip and fall case.
The process can take some time, but an experienced personal injury attorney in St. Petersburg knows what needs to be done and can navigate the process confidently and within an appropriate timeframe.