If you want to get paid fairly for the harm you suffered in a car crash that was not your fault, it is important to thoroughly understand how civil court proceedings work. Car accident trials in Merrillville are fairly complicated—making it vital to have help from seasoned legal counsel.
With a qualified car accident attorney from The Law Offices of David W. Holub on your side, you will have far better chances of getting a favorable verdict in court than trying to make your case on your own.
When Do Car Accident Claims Proceed All the Way to Court?
The vast majority of civil lawsuits filed over auto accidents in Indiana end with private settlement agreements made outside of court between the parties involved in the case. Generally, this is because settling is a much faster and cheaper way of resolving the situation in a way that both the injured person seeking compensation and the at-fault party can live with.
However, there are certain circumstances in which a car accident case in Merrillville may be more likely to end up going to trial, such as:
- There is more than one party directly at fault for causing the accident
- The injuries sustained by the person filing suit are extremely serious or life-threatening
- The insurance company involved in the claim is refusing to negotiate in good faith or arguing they are not liable for any damages whatsoever
- Multiple types of liability are involved in the case—for example, both negligence and product liability theories of law could be applicable to a crash caused by poorly manufactured and maintained brakes
Support from seasoned legal counsel can be essential to achieving a positive case result, whether by private settlement or trial.
Basic Steps in the Car Accident Trial Process
In Merrillville, there are several pre-trial proceedings that will need to happen before a car accident trial can begin. Most notably, this includes a discovery process that involves all parties exchanging evidence with each other so they can prepare a comprehensive court case. Settlement negotiations will typically continue during this process and often throughout an ensuing trial—given that the claim can still be settled privately at any point before a formal verdict is issued by the court.
At the trial itself, both sides will present evidence and testimony in favor of their own claim and cross-examine the opposition’s case at various points, usually in front of a six-person civil jury in accordance with Indiana law. Once both parties have presented their full cases, the jury will make a legally binding decision about whether the injured person should be awarded compensation and, if so, how much they should be paid by the party at fault for their damages.
Get Help from a Merrillville Attorney with a Car Accident Trial
It is best to have an attorney who is experienced in trial work and is not afraid to go to trial over your car accident case in order to get the best outcome for you. The attorneys at The Law Offices of David W. Holub are always prepared for the possibility of trial, which is key to protecting the best interests of our clients at all stages of a case.
Representation from The Law Offices of David W. Holub could make a huge difference in the outcome of your car accident trial in Merrillville. Call today to learn more.