A moment of negligence might forever a victim’s life in Mamaroneck, entitling them to compensation from the at-fault party.
Victims can follow a general checklist to prepare for their personal injury lawsuits in Mamaroneck. For example, they should begin by reporting the incident, whether to local law enforcement or the negligent party who caused the accident. Victims should then get medical attention and allow our lawyers to start gathering and organizing evidence on their behalf. We can also add up all financial and emotional losses from the accident to request in your complaint. We will then file that complaint with the court before the deadline and help you negotiate a fair settlement or take your lawsuit to trial in Mamaroneck.
Call the Mamaroneck personal injury lawyers of The Martello Law Firm, PLLC at (914) 685-6950 to set up a free case analysis.
Making a Checklist for Your Mamaroneck Personal Injury Claim
Victims can approach their claims strategically by turning the various stages of a personal injury claim into a checklist of sorts. While there are certain things all victims should do, like report an accident and get medical care, our attorneys will tackle other things, like gathering evidence and negotiating settlement agreements.
Report the Accident
The first thing you should do for your future claim is report the accident. Depending on the event’s seriousness, you might have to call 911. For example, victims typically have to report auto accidents to law enforcement in Mamaroneck.
In premises liability accidents, victims might report the incident to the property owner instead of involving the police. When making written reports about accidents, victims should provide as much detailed information as possible concerning the cause of the incident and their apparent injuries. If you do not report the accident in question, it could be harder to show it even took place, possibly jeopardizing your claim.
Get Medical Care
Your immediate next step should be to get medical care. If you file a claim for personal injury against a defendant, you will have to show that you sustained an injury. So, you will need medical records proving your injuries exist and showing their severity.
Do not delay medical care for any reason whatsoever. You should go to the hospital even if you only feel slightly injured. Adrenaline and stress from especially traumatic accidents might cause victims to ignore injuries unintentionally. Emergency room medical professionals can diagnose injuries under the surface and document them in your medical records. Continue to get treatment for as long as doctors advise you to.
Gather and Organize Evidence
Our personal injury lawyers will then turn our attention toward gathering and organizing evidence. We might go to the accident site during our investigation to determine if local security cameras filmed the accident. If you reported the accident to the police, we can get the incident report and review it for pertinent information.
If you took any photos or videos of your immediate injuries, the cause of your injuries, or other pictures from the accident scene, give them to our lawyers at this time. Photographic evidence can help us determine the reason for the accident and demonstrate the defendant’s liability.
We can continue to gather additional evidence as we prepare your claim, such as statements from eyewitnesses. After accidents, victims should try to talk to eyewitnesses and get their contact information. Interviewing eyewitnesses for their statements can yield additional information about the incident that could help us prove negligence.
Tally Your Damages
Victims should also make it a point to maintain good records of all of their losses from an injury. This will include proof of their medical expenses, lost wages, and additional out-of-pocket expenses. Be transparent with our attorneys about all financial expenses you have incurred because of the accident. We can add up all of your damages from an accident and keep our calculations in mind as we progress through settlement negotiations.
We will also estimate your pain and suffering to request compensation for your non-economic damages due to negligence in Mamaroneck. If punitive damages are recoverable in your case, we can consider them as well.
File on Time
The next step will be to file your complaint officially with the court in Mamaroneck. You must do this within a certain timeframe or risk the court dismissing your lawsuit. According to C.V.P. Law § 214(5), the deadline to sue is typically three years from an accident’s date. If your case meets an exception to the statute of limitations based on delayed discovery, our attorneys might bring your lawsuit even if three years have passed since the incident.
There are many reasons why victims might unintentionally delay filing, such as because they are dealing with serious and life-altering injuries. While that is understandable, it is important to prioritize your financial recovery, as waiting to bring your lawsuit could ultimately result in its demise.
Negotiate a Fair Settlement
Unless your case goes to court, the final step in your lawsuit might be negotiating and recovering a settlement from the negligent party. Settlement talks can take a good amount of time, especially when defendants are stubborn. By leveraging evidence in settlement negotiations, our lawyers may reach a suitable agreement that fairly compensates you.
Accepting settlements too quickly could be detrimental for victims. The first few offers from a defendant might be unfair for various reasons. If the defendant refuses to budge from a low offer, we can ensure a jury hears your case in court. You can choose to move forward with a trial at any time before officially accepting a settlement offer from a defendant, and you should not feel pressured to accept an offer you think is unfair.
Call Our Injury Attorneys in Mamaroneck Now
Call The Martello Law Firm, PLLC for a free case review from our personal injury lawyers today at (914) 685-6950.
