Filing a personal injury claim confuses and overwhelms victims. Most Phoenix residents pursue such claims only once, leaving them uncertain about the process and timeline for receiving compensation.
Your personal injury lawyer may advise you to file a personal injury lawsuit if someone’s carelessness seriously hurts you. This action falls under civil law, separate from any criminal charges linked to your accident.
Severe injuries change your life instantly. You shouldn’t pay for costs caused by another person’s negligence.
Learning about each stage of a personal injury case helps you prepare for the legal journey ahead.
Seek legal advice promptly after an injury. Attorneys explain the claims process and estimate potential compensation.
Prepare for your consultation by gathering information about the following:
Describe what happened and recount any statements you made afterward. Provide police reports or accident scene photos if available. Multiple factors can cause accidents, potentially involving several responsible parties.
Bring all bills related to your injury, including therapy costs. Your medical expenses influence your compensation amount. Discuss future medical needs, especially for conditions requiring ongoing care.
Explain how the injury affects your daily activities, hobbies, and social life. This information helps assess pain and suffering damages. Insurance companies often base these damages on how the injury interferes with your lifestyle.
Detail how your injury affects your job performance. Discuss missed work time, reduced hours, or changes in job duties. This information supports claims for lost wages.
Your lawyer uses this information to guide you through the claims process and estimate potential compensation based on your specific situation.
Read more: How to File a Personal Injury Claim
Your lawyer must understand the accident thoroughly to identify liable parties. After taking your statement, we work to uncover additional evidence.
Experienced personal injury lawyers:
They’ll interview store employees who saw a slip-and-fall incident or eyewitnesses to a car crash. Quick action ensures more accurate recollections.
They’ll seek security or traffic camera footage that captured the accident. This unalterable evidence provides a clear record of events.
Expert witnesses can reconstruct accidents, explain injuries, or define appropriate medical care standards in complex cases. Their testimony strengthens your case, especially in disputes involving liability or injury severity.
This approach helps build a comprehensive case by collecting diverse evidence sources quickly and efficiently.
Read more: How to Hire a Phoenix Personal Injury Lawyer
After hearing your version of events and gathering proof, Big Chad Law Injury & Accident Lawyers submit a claim for compensation with the liable insurance companies.
One claim is necessary in a simple situation like a car collision when only the other driver is at fault. When many parties share fault in a serious accident, you may have to file individual claims against each.
All the facts of your injuries and the compensation you hope to get will be included in your claim package. The insurance company will have all the information it needs about the impact of your injuries on your life and money if you engage with a lawyer.
Include the following items to streamline the process:
A detailed description of your claim helps you get a higher settlement in your personal injury lawsuit.
Read more: Insurance vs You and the need for Personal Injury Lawyers
Insurance companies often offer settlements quickly, sometimes before you consult an attorney or fully understand your injury costs. Review any offer carefully with your lawyer. Consider the policy limits and how the offer compares to your injuries and medical bills.
Accepting the initial offer ends the process, providing quick compensation. However, many victims reject it, as it may not cover all expenses. Your lawyer might negotiate a higher amount.
When discussing the offer, you can:
Negotiations may involve several rounds before reaching an agreement. Your lawyer typically handles this process. Most cases settle out of court as trials increase costs for both parties.
The process ends once you agree on compensation, and the company is usually released from further liability.
If you can’t agree with the insurance company, you must file a lawsuit. This process involves several stages:
During discovery, your lawyer and the insurance company gather more information about the accident and your claim. This process often reveals new aspects of the case. Your lawyer may seek witness statements, video footage, or business records. Information about previous similar injuries may also emerge.
Before trial, you may enter mediation. Here, you meet with a mediator and attorneys from both sides to seek an agreement. Mediation can resolve outstanding issues and help you reach a settlement that meets your needs. Many insurance companies prefer to settle during mediation to avoid trial. A current or former judge often leads mediation, pushing for a quick resolution.
If mediation fails, your case goes to trial. A judge will rule on your claim. You may opt for a jury trial in serious Phoenix personal injury cases. After hearing all arguments, the court will decide whether to award compensation and how much.
Legal action demands persistence to secure fair compensation. Insurance companies often offer quick settlements after accidents. These amounts may seem substantial but rarely cover future medical costs.
Signing a settlement agreement can forfeit your right to sue if your condition worsens. Resist pressure from insurance representatives. Stay focused on pursuing the compensation you deserve to safeguard your future.
A personal injury lawyer helps navigate insurance negotiations and claim deadlines. Florida law allows four years to file personal injury claims. This time passes quickly as you recover from injuries.
Surgeries, treatments, and therapies can exhaust you. Frequent doctor visits consume time. A year can vanish rapidly. Remember, the clock starts ticking on your claim immediately after your injury.
Tackling Florida law and insurance companies alone invites disaster. A lack of legal knowledge and insurance tactics leads to disappointment and inadequate compensation.
Your injuries already burden you. While fighting for your rights is commendable, going solo is risky. Protect your interests by seeking legal counsel.
Maintain constant contact with your attorney during a personal injury case. To strengthen your case, provide them with all available information about your accident and injuries. Your attorney updates you on progress, eliminating any concerns about its status.
Severe accidents can cause you to forget crucial details. At the scene, collect witness contact information. Most witnesses willingly help, recognizing they could face similar situations.
Open communication fosters a successful lawyer-client relationship. Working together helps achieve the best possible outcome for your case.
The word “lawsuit” often intimidates people. However, most individuals only file one when someone else’s negligence injures them.
Florida law allows you to claim compensation for your injuries in civil court. Personal injury lawyers offer free case reviews, so you risk nothing by discussing your case. Evaluating your options and deciding on the best course can ease worries about your financial future.
Tragically, some victims don’t survive their ordeals. If someone’s negligence caused a loved one’s death, you may have grounds for a wrongful death claim. Laws governing estate lawsuits are complex.
If you meet the requirements, you may be entitled to compensation for the following types of damages:
No amount of money can make up for losing a loved one, but there are ways to reduce your financial stress. A wrongful death suit has a two-year statute of limitations instead of a four-year restriction for personal injury claims. When you’re dealing with a sudden loss, time seems to fly by.
Trying to settle an insurance claim during a great grief is not the time to do it. Finding legal help for your family member’s wrongful death lawsuit might free up time for you to deal with the pain and loss of your loved one’s passing.
Read more: When to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer
Personal injuries can occur in various situations, often due to someone else’s negligence.
Understanding these common injuries can help you recognize when you might have a valid claim:
Each type of injury presents unique challenges in personal injury claims. An experienced attorney helps navigate the specific legal aspects of your case, ensuring you receive appropriate compensation for your particular injury.
We understand the weight of deciding whether to pursue a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. This process takes time, and we appreciate your patience as we work to secure the compensation you deserve. Your well-being is our priority, and we won’t settle for less than you deserve.
Everyday activities like dining out, commuting, or riding a motorcycle shouldn’t put you at risk. We believe in holding negligent parties accountable to protect your health, finances, and peace of mind.
Our experience proves invaluable when facing large insurance companies. We know their tactics to minimize payouts and will advocate fiercely for your rights.
We advise against accepting initial settlement offers that may shortchange you. Trust in the legal process as a path to justice.
You may receive compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering, depending on your case.
If you’ve lost a loved one, we recognize the emotional and financial toll. The average $9,000 funeral cost shouldn’t burden you further. We’ll fight to ensure responsible parties cover these unexpected expenses.
Time matters in personal injury and wrongful death cases. If you or a loved one suffered serious injury or death due to another’s negligence, consider legal action. Though the journey may be long, it can lead to a more secure future.
We’re here to discuss your legal options and guide you through the legal system. Most Florida personal injury attorneys, including us, offer free consultations and work on a contingency basis. You have nothing to lose by reaching out promptly.
When we meet, please bring any relevant evidence – police reports, witness contacts, accident scene photos, or videos.
The sooner you involve us, the stronger your case becomes. We’re here to support you through this challenging time and fight for the justice and compensation you deserve.
Care → Report/Notify → Hire → Build → Resolve.
Build the claim (evidence, damages) → demand/negotiation → file suit before the deadline if needed; most civil cases resolve without trial.
Most AZ injury/property claims = 2 years. If a public entity/employee might be at fault, you must serve a Notice of Claim within 180 days and file suit within 1 year of accrual. Calendar both clocks on day one.
Most settle; trials are the exception. In recent years about ~1% of federal civil cases reach trial (tort trials even rarer), so expect negotiation/ADR to carry the load—while preparing as if you’ll try the case.
Yes, but your payout is reduced by your % of fault. Arizona follows pure comparative negligence and several-only liability (each defendant pays only their share). Courts also deny comparative relief to a claimant whose conduct was intentional/willful/wanton. Build evidence to minimize your assigned % of fault.
Lock down the official record + your damages trail.
Medical bills/records, wage-loss proof, and receipts—your insurer will ask for these in the proof-of-claim process.
Police report (meets the statutory reporting thresholds) and report #.
Photos/video, witnesses, and any nearby camera footage before it’s overwritten (ADOT crash guidance cites the same report thresholds officers use).