The vast majority of personal injury cases are settled before they head in front of a judge. In fact, estimates suggest that roughly 95 percent of personal injury cases end in a settlement agreement, but that still means that plenty of injury cases are going to trial every single year. If you just don’t feel like you’re getting a fair offer from the other side and your attorney agrees, you may opt to take your case before a judge. But how can you prepare to shift from negotiations to arguing your case in a courtroom? We share some tips for preparing to take your personal injury case to trial in today’s blog.
Tips For Preparing For Personal Injury Trial
First and foremost, you absolutely need to have a lawyer by your side if your case has reached this stage. It’s almost unheard of to take a personal injury case to trial without professional legal representation in your corner because you’ll be outmatched by the lawyers on the other side. We’re assuming you already have hired a lawyer, but if you haven’t you need to bring a lawyer into the fold before you head to court.
With that out of the way, let’s jump into the rest of the tips:
1. Talk With Your Lawyer – For starters, have a conversation with your lawyer about trial and what you can expect. They’ll go over the basics of a personal injury trial, what procedures to expect and your role in all of it. They will be able to help you understand what might be said during trial so that you can prepare in the event you will be giving any statements. Even if you won’t be talking, it’s helpful to get an idea of what’s to come when your case goes to trial.
2. Get Your Documents To Your Lawyer – Any potentially relevant piece of information pertaining to your personal injury case should be in the hands of your lawyer by this point. If they are still waiting on information, or perhaps the facts have changed (like you’ve received an updated medical opinion from your doctor or new therapy recommendations), you need to make sure your lawyer has copies of all the latest information. This will ensure they are able to build a strong case based on the most up-to-date facts.
3. Realize The Stakes – Up until a judge renders a verdict, a settlement offer from the insurance company may be on the table. It’s important that you realize that it’s a real possibility you could lose or receive a smaller award than offered in the settlement. Your lawyer will do everything in their power to ensure this is not the case, as it’s also quite possible that you’ll receive a much larger award, but you need to at least come to grips with the stakes of the situation. If losing your case would be financially crippling, perhaps you’ll want to talk with your lawyer again about the possibility of settling. Conversely, if both you and your lawyer believe you’re being massively shortchanged by the insurance company and you’re willing to risk it in court with a seasoned professional by your side, you’re ready for court. Just acknowledge that moving forward with court opens up a wider range of better or worse outcomes.
4. Do Your Part At Trial– Finally, when the day of trial arrives, make sure you do your part. Although most of the heavy lifting will be done by your lawyer, it’s still a good idea to show up early and dress professionally. Being late or unprepared can start things off on the wrong foot, so work to control some of the controllable factors on the day of trial.
If you do all of these things and trust your case to a professional injury attorney, we’re confident that you will be setting yourself up for success at trial. To connect with a firm who is confident they can deliver a settlement or a court ruling that you’ll find favorable after your injury, reach out to the team at Hey Workers today at (844) 439-9675.
