Michigan City Indiana car accident lawyer discusses the different activities that must be performed if a lawsuit is filed.
Every Indiana car accident, truck accident, motorcycle accident, bicycle accident or slip and fall case is different and brings its own set of challenges but as a general rule car accident cases have two components presuit or claims, and if the case doesn't settle, litigation. The lawsuit or litigation procedure is a continuation of the claims process. Your Michigan City car accident lawyer will perform the following tasks once the client and lawyer have decided to proceed with a lawsuit:
Prepare and file a complaint and summons. A complaint and summons are the official pleadings that are filed with the court to start a lawsuit.
Serve the other party/ies (defendant(s)) with the complaint and summons.
Once the defendant is served, his/her insurance company will hire an attorney to represent the defendant(s) and the attorney will file an answer to the complaint
Once the answer is served, the case is off to the races
Prepare and serve written discovery on the defendant
Meet with client and formulate responses to written discovery served by defendant on the client
Prepare the client for his/her deposition. A deposition is a question and answer session.
Take the other party's and any witnesses depositions.
Meet with expert witnesses.
Take and attend expert witness depositions
Take and attend doctor depositions
Attend court hearings
Prepare for an attend mediation
Prepare for trial
Attend trial
Prepare for and attend any post trial hearings if necessary
Request and review trial transcript if an appeal may be necessary
If the case will be appealed, prepare the required appellate documents and briefs
Prepare for an attend appellate arguments
If the appellate court decides that there was some mistake in the trial and grants any party a new trial, prepare for an attend the second trial
As you can see the litigation process is involved and complex. It is important to retain an attorney who actually takes these cases to trial and understands the dynamics of a lawsuit.
