It’s not unusual for personal injury victims to have questions after sustaining injuries in an accident. Most people don’t think twice about the financial impact of their accident until they’re faced with unwanted medical and auto repair bills. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation out there, which can lead to some misinformation regarding your case.
This misinformation may result. While it’s crucial to seek out the correct information regarding your case, the best course of action to get expert advice on the facts of your case is to work with a qualified Las Vegas personal injury lawyer. Here are answers to 15 of the most frequently asked questions in our personal injury cases.
1. What is the Injury Claim Process Like?
A personal injury case begins when you file a summons and complaint in the Nevada court. According to the Nevada Rules of Civil Procedure Rules, you begin a court case by taking the summons or complaint to the court clerk of the appropriate courthouse.
The clerk will either accept or reject the filing and will return a copy to you so you can serve the defendant with their copy. Your complaint must include all of the grounds to bring your case to court and as well as your demands for recovery.
2. What Should I Do After An Accident?
- Take photos of your injuries
- Seek medical attention IMMEDIATELY for any injuries you have sustained, or suspect you have sustained.
- Follow medical aftercare and attend all follow-up appointments
- Keep a narrative of the events that happened in a journal
- Obtain a list of witnesses with contact information
- Follow instructions provided by your attorney
3. Will my Personal Injury Case go to Trial?
The majority of personal injury cases do not ever make it to trial. Most are resolved before the trial date happens.
The more strategically you build your case, the more likely it is that you and the other party will agree on the evidence presented and a settlement will be reached.
4. How Much Is My Personal Injury Case Worth?
There is no way to pull a magic number out of a hat, but you can approximate the value. The value of your claim includes your economic damages, such as the costs accrued for medical treatment, lost wages, and therapy.
From there, you take into consideration pain and suffering as well as the defendant’s resources/ability to pay for damages.
5. What Happens if I’m Partially at Fault for the Accident?
If you are partially to blame for your injuries, you may still be able to recover under Nevada law 41.141 for a percentage share of what you would have otherwise recovered.
6. How Long Does a Personal Injury Lawsuit Take to Get a Settlement?
The shortest cases resolve in only a few weeks and without any formal litigation. Sometimes, your attorney can work directly with the other party or the insurance company to reach a swift resolution.
In other cases, litigation can continue for a year or more. Most cases fall somewhere in the middle. The more complicated your case, the longer you can expect it to take. You have some control over the length of your case because it’s up to you to accept or reject settlement offers.
7. How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim?
A statute of limitations is the time limitation that you have to bring the case. For most personal injury cases, the period of limitation is two years. You’ve made it within the time limit if you get your case filed even one day before the period of limitation expires.
8. What can I expect during my Personal Injury Case?
Once you file the case, you serve the other side with a copy of the paperwork. You wait for them to file a reply. After that, you have time to build your case by contacting witnesses, gathering medical evidence, and even collecting evidence from the other party. You and the other side both have time to bring preliminary motions to the court.
Your attorney may approach the other side to try to resolve the case by settlement. You may participate in formal dispute resolution like mediation. If you resolve the case, you collect a payment, and the case ends. If your case goes to trial, your lawyer presents your case and asks the jury for a fair outcome.
9. How Much Does An Attorney Cost?
Most personal injury attorneys want to work with you so that you can get justice through the legal system. Many car accident attorneys agree to work on your case with no money upfront. If you succeed in your case, they take a small percentage of your recovery for their services.
They also deduct any costs that they paid upfront so that you could proceed with the case. Your attorney should be happy to speak with you to make sure that you understand how they’re going to get paid. It’s important to ask any questions that you have so that you’re all on the same page.
10. How Can an Attorney Help?
Every case depends on the unique set of facts present in the case. An experienced injury attorney can give you more specific answers to these questions based on the actual circumstances of your case.
An attorney helps you handle each step in the case in a way that’s calculated to help you get the result that you’re looking for. Your lawyer will take the time to get to know you, your priorities, and the details of your case. They can then guide you through the process to get the maximum compensation possible.
Related Content
- How Soon Should I Hire an Attorney After a Car Accident?
- Do Most Car Accident Cases Go to Trial?
- What to Expect in a Deposition
- How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim
- Nevada Personal Injury Statute of Limitations
- Common Questions Insurance Companies Ask After an Accident
- Nevada Statute of Limitations Personal Injury Law NRS 11.190
