If you go to a cerebral palsy law firm and they accept your case, you can be ready for what’s coming next by taking a look at how these cases oftentimes unfold. The basics of how lawsuits are handled are relatively similar between one and the next, at least at the initial stages.
Filing the Lawsuit
Your lawyer will determine where the actual blame is to be placed in your case and will file a lawsuit naming those individuals or business entities. This lawsuit has to be filed by a deadline, but once it’s filed the deadline is no longer a concern as far as handling the rest of the case is concerned. The lawyer will handle all of this, but they will make an effort to keep you informed at every step along the way. Remember that you’re paying them, so don’t be afraid to call and ask if you need an update on what’s going on with your claim.
Preparing
If it looks like your claim is going to go to trial, your lawyer will handle getting together all the expert witnesses and other resources they’ll need to argue it effectively. They may start preparing you to take the stand, as well, if necessary. This may or may not be necessary during the course of the trial. Whatever happens, however, your attorney will make sure you’re well prepared to step into court.
Settlements
At some point, if you have a very strong case, the defendant may approach your attorney to let them know that they’re interested in settling out of court. This means that they pay a sum of money that you and the defendant agree upon in exchange for not going to court. This helps the defendant, and you, avoid court costs.
Your attorney will help you negotiate this settlement. There are cases, however, where the defendant will step forward with a very good offer right away and where negotiation will be minimal, if it is a concern at all.
Court
If you go to court, your attorney will argue your case to a jury, who will decide if the parties you’re suing truly are to blame and how much compensation you are owed. You may get all, some or none of the monies you are seeking. Your attorney will only charge you if you win, provided that they’re working on contingency.