Personal Injury Lawyer St. Paul MN
If a victim has been injured in an incident or accident caused by another party’s negligence or recklessness, the victim can file a claim or lawsuit to pursue financial compensation for the losses associated with their injuries. A personal injury lawyer can evaluate your case and let you know what your legal options may be.
How much is a personal injury case worth?
There are several factors that will determine how much a personal injury case is worth. This is why it is so important to have a personal injury lawyer in St. Paul MN working on the case. The attorney can evaluate and research the case and determine just how much the plaintiff deserves. Some of the losses that are included in a settlement or award include medical expenses, loss of income, pain and suffering, emotional anguish, future loss of income, and future medical costs.
Do personal injury cases go to trial?
Most personal injury cases settle before they actually go to trial. However, there are several reasons why a victim’s personal injury lawyer may advise pursuing litigation and letting a jury or judge decide the outcome. These include:
- The insurance company is not negotiating in good faith
- The insurance company offers an unreasonable settlement amount
- The insurance company offers no settlement amount
- The damages and/or liability is disputed
- The victim wants to go to trial
Even if a case does go to trial, it is common for settlement negotiations to continue, even while the trial is going on. A settlement agreement can be reached up until the court announces its verdict.
How long does a lawsuit take?
This depends on a number of factors. One of the main issues that affect the time it takes for a lawsuit to conclude is just how much compensation is involved, especially if the plaintiff is seeking a substantial amount of money. If there are legal issues involved, that may also cause a lawsuit to drag on longer.
It may also be critical that the victim has reached their maximum medical improvement before a lawsuit commences. If the lawsuit takes place while the victim is still recovering, there is no way to really know what the final amount of damages the injuries have caused the victim.
One way to avoid a long legal battle is to come to a fair settlement agreement with the at-fault party’s insurance company.
Will the victim have to testify in a deposition in a personal injury lawsuit?
When a personal injury case seems to be heading towards litigation and not a settlement, the insurance company’s attorney will usually request that the victim participates in a deposition. This is basically a question and answer session between the attorney and the injured plaintiff. The plaintiff answers the questions, under oath, and their own personal injury lawyer is always present in order to ensure the victim’s rights are protected. The entire proceeding is documented by a court reporter.
The insurance company attorney will likely ask questions about the background of the victim, such as their family life, work history, education, hobbies, etc. The attorney will want to know what the victim’s life and health were like before the victim was injured. The attorney will likely ask the details of the accident, what type of medical treatment was received for the injury, and how the injury has impacted the victim’s life.
For more information about pursuing compensation after an accident, call Johnston | Martineau, PLLP to speak with a personal injury lawyer St. Paul MN residents depend on.
