Most insurance claims relating to car accidents are resolved prior to a lawsuit being filed. And most of the car accidents suits that end up getting filed are taken care of by a settlement before a trial happens,particularly when a is involved.
Not all car crash cases could be settled. Maybe the parties cannot agree on who or what caused the crash. Or perhaps the parties could agree on the plaintiff’s injury but cannot agree on the total compensation to be paid for the injuries.
If a settlement cannot resolve your car crash case,you could then wonder what the case’s fate would be when it’s put through trial. The rules that govern trials aren’t the same across states. However,there are certain procedures and concepts that most states share. So,the question is ‘what happens in court for a car crash claim?’.
Jury Selection
Generally,the jury (and not the judge) ascertains a car crash case’s key issues. The jury is usually composed of 12 people; but,at times,the number could be less. The trial’s first stage is referred to as ‘voir dire’. During this phase,the jury members are chosen.
Opening Statements
Once the jury has been chosen,the parties make their opening statements. The of the plaintiff goes first,since the plaintiff is responsible for proving all allegations. An opening statement offers each party’s lawyer to set the platform for the jury by putting forward their side of things.
Presentation of Evidence
After the opening statements are made,the plaintiff’s lawyer presents the case. The plaintiff’s side is first to present the evidence again. The lawyer presents evidence by calling witnesses. The plaintiff rests the case after presenting all witnesses to the jury. It is now the defendant’s turn to present evidence.
Closing Arguments
Once all evidences have been presented,both attorneys give a closing argument where they talk about the evidence presented to the jury. The jury then discusses the case privately in a room and reaches a verdict.