1. If injured, seek medical attention immediately and consult a personal injury lawyer if you have substantial medical bills or missed work. 2. The lawyer will investigate the incident, determine if you have a case, and begin negotiations with the insurance company to reach a settlement. 3. If a settlement cannot be reached, the lawyer may file a lawsuit, starting the discovery process and potential mediation before a trial.

1. What Happens If I File a
Personal Injury Claim?

2. You’ve been injured in some way
and you think someone else
might be at fault.

3. Let hurt.lawyer help you decide if you have a case for a claim.
The scariest part of having a major
injury can be the uncertainty of what
the future holds, both physically and
financially.

4. Knowing
what’s going to
happen can go
a long way to
easing your
worries.

5. 1. Get medical attention for your
injury immediately.

6. Your health is the most important
thing in your life.

7. If you DON’T seek help, the insurance
company may assume your injury was
minor.

8. Make sure you are hiring the right
personal injury attorney.
2. Next you should find a lawyer.

9. • You have a couple of
thousand dollars in
medical bills
• You miss work for
more than just a
handful of days
• You broke a bone or
another major injury
A good rule of thumb on
whether you should pursue
a claim is if:

10. Ask the
prospective
attorney
questions, and
then choose the
one that is right
for you.
The 5 questions you should ask a
personal injury attorney

11. 3. Your lawyer will begin
to investigate the
incident.

12. They will interview you to get more
details of what happened. Remember,
they’re on your team!

13. Once your lawyer has this
information, they will be able to
determine if you have a case.

14. 4. Your lawyer will
reach out to the
insurance
company to begin
negotiations.

15. They will review the insurance
settlement offer to see if it is fair,
based on their experience with your
type of case and injury.

16. This back and forth continues until a
“fair” offer is presented and you and
your lawyer accept it.

17. Despite what you may see on television,
most personal injury cases are settled before
they ever get to court.

18. A good lawyer will NOT
settle if your injury
involves a permanent
injury or impairment.

19. No negotiation will
happen until you have
completed your
medical treatment and
achieved your
maximum medical
improvement.

20. 5. If a fair settlement can’t be
reached, a lawsuit is filed.

21. Sometimes, it takes one to two years
for the case to actually
go to trial.

22. Your lawyer will inform you of the statute
of limitations for your state.

23. 6. The case now goes through the
discovery process and/or mediation.

24. Discovery
means both
sides
investigate the
other’s legal
claims,
witnesses,
evidence, etc.

25. Evidence is available to both parties in the suit, so it’s
always crucial for you to tell the truth.

26. Once both sides have looked at the evidence and
witness statements, most attorneys will attempt to
settle out of court again.

27. Sometimes a mediator is called in to
assist in the negotiation process.

28. 7. If there still is
no settlement,
then the case
goes to trial.

29. Trials can be fast or slow,
depending on the state, the
evidence, and whether it ends
up rescheduled.

30. Hurt.lawyer can help you find an experienced
personal injury attorney to help you through the legal
maze of filing a personal injury claim.