Getting involved in an accident is never fun, especially not when it puts your health and safety at risk. If you were recently involved in one, and are thinking about seeking compensation for your injuries and, consequently, loss of wages, the first thing you should do is hire a Denver personal injury lawyer. 

Personal injury lawyers can help make sure you file your case within the prescription period, or the allowable time frame for you to make your case. You can rely on your lawyer to help you gather evidence, formulate strong arguments to prove liability, and represent you in court as needed. 

These are all important steps to take, and having a lawyer guiding you throughout the process allows you to take care of yourself and recuperate from your injuries. Here are some helpful tips to get you started when filing a personal injury lawsuit. 

Check for Insurance

If, for example, you get into a car accident, the first course of action you should take is to confirm if the incident is covered by insurance. This is important in determining whether you do have something to collect from the plaintiff later on.

On a more practical note, if it’s something that could be resolved with the insurance coverage, then you can simply collect from there. However, in many cases, collecting from insurance is very tedious and, sometimes, the claim even gets denied. A personal lawyer injury can help you pursue the collection if the defendant or their insurance is not being cooperative. 

File the Complaint

The sooner you file the complaint, the sooner your case can get going. This is an important first step to getting the compensation you seek. Once the complaint is filed, it must then be served to the defendant, so they can also prepare their response to your case. 

A personal injury lawyer can help you formulate a strategy that would be able to anticipate their defense, as well as define other areas where you could strengthen yours.

Gather Evidence and Present Witnesses

This portion occurs during the pre-trial and discovery period of the process. Presenting evidence and witnesses is crucial for the court to determine whether your case bears enough weight to merit a trial. This is also the time to agree with the other party on mediation or arbitration, if applicable. 

Trial

If the case does proceed to trial, it will be up to the jury to determine whether the defendant was indeed at fault, and so should be held liable and accountable for paying compensation. The amount of the awarded compensation relies on several factors, including the severity of the injury, medical costs, emotional and psychological damage, and loss of wages, among others. 

Settlement

In some cases, the defending party would like to close the case as soon as possible and so would offer to settle. Make sure to have your lawyer by your side so you can be sure that you’re getting a fair amount in relation to your injuries. 

They can also help stipulate the terms of the settlement, and ensure that you’re not going to get the short end of the bargain.