The Arkansas Personal Injury Lawsuit Process
Virtually anyone can be sued for personal injury:
- Business owners—when someone slips or falls on their property
- Homeowners—if someone is injured in their homes
- Drivers—who cause auto vehicle accidents resulting in serious injury
While insurance coverage often provides adequate protection against personal injury lawsuits, it may not fully cover the claim of a severely injured individual. And many people do not carry adequate coverage for all situations. For anyone facing a personal injury lawsuit, the Arkansas personal injury lawyers at Bequette & Billingsley also have the personal injury defense experience that is critical to achieving the best possible results for any case.
The first steps after an accident
While addressing medical needs is always the first step, anyone involved in an accident benefits by obtaining evidence from the accident scene. This includes photographing the accident scene and recording contact information from accident victims and witnesses. Then contact your insurance carrier, who will either provide an attorney for the defense—or reject coverage.
Facing the legal process
Once the defendant retains an Arkansas personal injury lawyer, the process can be extremely complex. The basic steps are as follows:
- Step 1—Discovery: The attorneys exchange interrogatories and requests for production. The overall goal is to learn the knowledge and evidence of the plaintiff—including medical records, police reports, and interviews with witnesses. At this point, the defense attorney looks for areas of dispute—including evidence that the medical condition was pre-existing or that liability for the accident does not fall with the defendant.
- Step 2—Settlement: A case can often be settled without going to court, particularly when injuries are relatively minor. The parties can try and settle the case all during the litigation, up to and during the trial.
- Step 3—Courtroom litigation: When a settlement offer is not accepted, the case goes to court, typically before a jury. The jury determines who was liable for the accident and what damages, if any, should be awarded to the plaintiff.
Contact our experienced Arkansas personal injury lawyers
Contact our Arkansas personal injury lawyers for skilled legal counsel or visit our office. Our law firm is easy to find. When you come into downtown Little Rock, look for the tallest building in the skyline. Park on the street and visit Bequette & Billingsley for a free consultation and to meet with your dedicated business law and civil litigation attorney.
