By Michael, on August 5th, 2012 
When you are a part of an accident or a mishap which was caused by no fault of yours, the law allows you to claim damages or compensation for your injuries. You can claim compensation for all the expenses you have to undertake because for your current injury and any future expenses that might occur because of it. These claims are to be filed with the insurance company of the person who’s believed to be at fault, causing you the injury.
Although it sounds simple, filing a lawsuit is no walk in the park and requires you to follow a thorough step-by-step procedure, which is elaborated below:
1. Waiving The Right To Press Charges
– There are always two sides to a thing like compensation. If you have been involved in an accident that was other party’s fault and their insurance company has agreed to pay the damages, you are waiving away your right to press charges against them. Always read the fine print.
2. File All The Evidence Of Your Injury/Accident
– You would require to keep all the proof of the accident like the pictures taken at the accident site, if any, your doctor’s reports and medical statement, police complaint and documents that prove that you lose income because of the said injury.
3. Consult An Attorney Who Deals With Personal Injury Cases
– There is a time limit for filing suit for different kinds of injuries, depending on the person you are pressing charges against. Usually, the time limit is a year but in case the person is a government employee, you need to file the suit within 60 days. For such technicalities and details, it is best to consult personal injury solicitors Manchester who will let you know about the right course of action.
Reveal every little detail of the injury and the accident to your attorney. Ensure that all the details are correct and none of it is misleading. It is important that you are absolutely honest with your accountant.
4. Consider Settlement Options
– There is an option of settlement before both the parties take their case into the court. It is an alternative and relatively easier course of action where your attorney can negotiate the terms and monetary details of the settlement. Discuss all these point with your attorney beforehand and let him examine your settlement points.
Usually, there is a settlement offered right after the accident. It would be prudent to contact the attorney before accepting it.
If the settlement negotiations don’t work out for you, then you would require pressing charges. Your lawsuit would be filed by your attorney but there would still be some pre-trial talks between the attorneys before going to court.
