Steps in Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit

When the actions of another cause you injury and if the offender has no sufficient justification for it, you may be entitled to compensation. Personal injury claims though, can easily get complicated, and if you don’t have a lawyer to help you, you could end up losing your case altogether.

You can, however, make the process easier if you know the right steps to take. First of all, you will have to gather the medical and police records that describe your accident and the extent of your injuries. In some cases, the court may even call your doctor to the stand to provide information about your condition and how it has affected your daily activities.

Ask an attorney for help in drafting a complaint – it should contain the basic facts that led to the accident and injury, including the persons involved in it. An important part of your complaint should be your claim for damages, which will, in essence, be your request for compensation for whatever physical, mental, emotional or financial harm that the injury has caused you.

Next, file your complaint in the appropriate court. You might have to prepare and serve a summons (along with a copy of the complaint) to the defendants of your case, which the latter will have to provide a reply for. Summons are usually prepared with the help of an attorney, who may also arrange for the documents to be served to the corresponding people.