About 5.5 million automobile accidents happen in the United States every year. Most of the time, the accidents are minor events such as fender benders and can be easily solved between the two parties. There are a few accidents that are serious enough to file a lawsuit, and even then it is very rare for a case to end up going to trial. If you found yourself in a situation where a settlement cannot be reached and the case is officially going to trial, there are a few basic things you should know.
While it can be risky to decide to go to trial, in some instances it is worth it. However, if the defendant is unwilling to settle to pay for repairs or acknowledge fault in the car accident during mediation, it might be absolutely necessary for you and your injury lawyer to push the case to trial.
Going to trial means that you and the defendant will present your side of the case in front of a judge or jury who will ultimately decide on how to resolve the case. The order of sequence for going to trial is your lawyer choosing members of the jury, opening statement the lawyers of both sides, witness testimony and cross-examination, closing statements, jury deliberation and finally, the verdict.
The lawyers of each side will have their chance to make a case for you and the other person involved in the case. It is imperative that you have been completely honest with your lawyer about the events leading up to the accident so they can build the best legal strategy for you. They need to know if the car crash was a result of a driver error on your part or if you believe that the defendant is guilty of distracted driving. These things could come up in court and it is best to leave your lawyer with no surprises.
After the closing statements, the jury will deliberate until they reach a verdict. If you win, you are often awarded the damages that you requested and you can move on from the accident. Remember that one major factor in winning is finding a lawyer that is willing to represent you and not going to trial on your own.