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Stages of an Injury Claims Case in Houston

You might need to start a personal injury case if you get a severe injury in an accident. Regrettably, the claims and litigation processes may be drawn-out, annoying, and time-consuming.

If you are managing your personal injury claim independently, making mistakes along the route is simple. A lawyer can help you with your case filing, hearing, and decision-making phases. You can click here to speak to an attorney today! 

Whether you engage a lawyer or not, it is crucial that you know what to expect if you file a personal injury claim in Houston.

  • Bringing a personal injury case

Registering your personal injury case is the first step. You are strongly advised to consult with a personal injury lawyer, as you will submit paperwork to the court and appear at hearings. Significant volumes of paperwork are needed for this:

  • Preliminary court documents:
  • Complaint/Petition: Overview of the lawsuit, including involved parties, accident information, and damages sought
  • Summons: providing the defendant with formal notice that they are getting sued for the losses you suffered
  • Answer: The defendant's response to the summons, in which they either admit the allegations, reject them, or assert that there is insufficient evidence to make a judgment.
  • Additional paperwork:
  • Counterclaim: filed whenever the defendant has a complaint against you based on the same accident that the plaintiff has
  • Reply to Lawsuit: Your answer to the countersuit in which you admit the allegations, dispute them, or assert that there is insufficient data to make a judgment.
  • Cross-Claim: When there are numerous interested parties, for instance, in a multi-car accident, another negligence claim can be made against some drivers but not others.

When a plaintiff being sued may point to another party as being accountable for your damages, such as the maker of a faulty product, this is known as a third-party complaint.

  • Your Injury claim's trial procedures

Your personal injury lawyer will present your case in court once the evidence in your case has been gathered and prepared for trial. Your personal injury case will undergo the fundamental phases of a personal injury trial as soon as there is no request to dismiss, which requires the court to determine whether the case is admissible for trial or not.

  • Your personal injury case's discovery phase.

You compile and disclose the details of your collision and injuries during the discovery phase. In your personal injury lawsuit, the defense will be trying to find any gaps in your proof to show that it wasn't their responsibility that you were hurt in the collision. The key to proving your case is having evidence of your injuries and accident.