Lochearn, MD Personal Injury Lawyer

Everyone will get injured at some point in their life. Nearly all of the time, these injuries are minor things like cuts, a small bruise, or maybe a skinned knee or elbow at worst. However, serious injuries are not something to be taken lightly. Many injuries can land you in the hospital for an extended period of time, and you may need post-operative care or physical therapy to fully recover. In the most severe cases, an injury may prevent you from doing activities you once enjoyed or require permanent medical care. The costs of a severe injury can easily balloon out of control.

When you are injured because someone else was negligent, you need skilled attorneys in your corner. We can represent you in court to get compensation for your injuries, and we will not stop fighting until we have exhausted every legal option at our disposal. We will have your back through every step of the legal process.

To get a free case review today, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras’ personal injury lawyers at (410) 694-7291.

The Legal Process of a Lochearn, MD Personal Injury Lawsuit

Before getting into a lawsuit, it is important to understand the process:

Initial Consultation

The first step to filing a personal injury lawsuit is to speak with our personal injury lawyers. The initial consultation goes over the details of your case and paints a general picture of your unique circumstances so that our lawyers can best serve your needs should you retain us.

Discovery

One of the most important parts of any lawsuit is establishing the facts and evidence well before the case goes to trial. This way, there are no surprises for either attorney, and they both can more effectively represent their sides. To accomplish this, both sides of a lawsuit will exchange information and details so that both lawyers are more or less working on the same set of facts and details. The idea is to set a fair playing field and make it harder for one side to “pull one over” on the other. This process is called “discovery.”

In a discovery request, our lawyers will ask for specific details and information about the case from the other side. Opposing counsel will do the same. These requests for information are called either “interrogatories” or “requests for production.”

Interrogatories are formal inquiries to the other side about who may have important information pertaining to the lawsuit. For example, an interrogatory could ask for the whereabouts of any witnesses to an accident who are expected to testify in court. This would include their name, where they can be reached (either a home or work address), and other relevant information. The details of any experts who will testify in court are also commonly asked for in interrogatories. Lawyers will ask for their curriculum vitae (CV) and their relevant area of expertise.

Requests for production, on the other hand, are when lawyers ask for physical things. Things that could be asked for in a request for production include documents like records, bills, or even non-tangible things like email correspondence.

Depositions

Depositions are a very important part of the pre-trial process for a lawsuit. As the plaintiff, opposing counsel will almost certainly “depose” you before trial. A deposition is a formal interview by the opposing lawyer under oath. Normally, you (or the other party being deposed), the opposing lawyer, your lawyer, and a registered recorder will be present during a deposition. You will be asked questions about the case and your condition. You should answer these questions truthfully, as lying under oath is a surefire way to seriously damage your chances of winning a case. However, if a question is unfair, our lawyers can object, and you will not have to answer it. This process can take many hours and be mentally draining.

Each and every person who is going to speak in court will likely get deposed before trial. This is to have a record of what they are likely going to say before the trial happens so that both sides are not surprised.

Pre-Trial Motions

Before trial, both sides of a lawsuit can make motions before a judge for one thing or another. Motions are many and varied, but the general idea is that a lawyer will ask for something they want to be, or not be, in the trial and why. A very common motion is a motion to suppress evidence. This type of motion is filed when one of the lawyers believes that certain evidence that might harm their client is not relevant to the case. For example, the fact that a truck driver has a criminal record would not be relevant to a trial about whether a truck driver was drinking on the job in most circumstances. Additionally, offers to settle the case may arise at this time or at any point before a trial begins.

Trial

A jury trial is the part of the legal process that most people are familiar with. However, it is only the last step in the lengthy process of preparing a personal injury lawsuit. At trial, both lawyers will present their case to the judge and jury. The judge acts more as a legal referee than an interpreter of facts. Only the jury can decide whether something is true or not. After both lawyers have presented their arguments, evidence, and witnesses, the judge will instruct the jury as to the applicable laws. The jury then goes on to decide who is liable or not. If you are successful in court, you are awarded damages in an amount decided by the jury.

Talk to Our Lochearn, MD Personal Injury Lawyers Today

Our personal injury lawyers are ready to help with your case when you call Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291.