Any mishap is unfortunate, but when you are a victim of someone’s negligence in Stockton, you should consider all legal ways to recover money. Personal injury laws in California are inclined to victims, but people often fail to take appropriate steps despite that. Experts of top law firms, such as Redkey Gordon Law Corp, recommend that victims seek legal help at the earliest. For your help, we have enlisted the steps you must follow before filing an injury lawsuit.
- Focus on your medical care. No matter how disgruntled you are about the other party’s reckless act, you need to focus on your health and safety. Always check with an emergency medical center after an accident. Many injuries don’t have immediate symptoms, and therefore, seeking medical care is critical. It also ensures you have the necessary medical records to file a claim in California.
- Meet a local personal injury lawyer: As mentioned earlier, you need to see a lawyer who is locally based in Stockton and specializes in personal injury law. You don’t have to fight this battle alone, especially when you need time to recover and get back to your routine. Besides guiding you on the legal process, they can also ensure your case is strong enough to move to the next step.
- Investigate the accident. The purpose of investigating an accident is to establish liability and losses. Once you engage a personal injury lawyer, they are in charge of evaluating the economic and non-economic damages you can recover, for which they may rely on other experts too. Besides medical bills and lost wages, you may have room to recover noneconomic damages, such as pain and suffering.
- Initiate the negotiation. Only a small number of personal injury lawsuits in California go to court. Your lawyer will contact the at-fault party or their insurer to check whether a settlement is possible. They will draft a demand letter and share the details, including the demanded compensation. If the counterparty is willing to negotiate, you don’t have to worry about litigation.
Final word
If negotiations don’t work as expected, your lawyer will file a personal injury lawsuit in court. Litigation is an expensive and more time-consuming option but is also a resort for cases where out-of-court settlements are impossible. Talk to an attorney soon to know whether your personal injury claim is worth the effort, and they will review your case for free.
