Skilled Attorneys Protecting The Rights Of The Injured

What To Expect – Trial Or Settlement

We understand that right after an accident clients, through no fault of their own, suddenly have to deal with the pain of their injuries that require medical treatment, and they worry about how medical bills and lost wages will be paid. On top of all this, clients fear that insurance companies will not fully and fairly compensate them. Our role as attorneys is not only to obtain a maximum financial recovery but also to educate our clients about the claims process and put their minds at ease. From the initial client meeting through the conclusion of the case, we take the time necessary to answer all questions and to guide clients through the process. Our approach is client-focused and results-oriented. Simply put, we will do what it takes to resolve your case in a timely manner using our years of experience representing personal injury victims.

Preparing Your Case For Settlement

When we sit down at your initial client meeting, we will gather preliminary information about you, your accident, injuries, treatment, relevant medical history and insurance coverage. We will also ask you to sign forms authorizing us to request your medical and employment records. At this time, we will also explain our fee agreement. Connecticut ethics rules require that we enter into a written fee agreement covering the scope of representation and payment of fees and expenses. In most injury cases, fees and expenses are contingent upon recovery. This means that you owe our firm nothing, including attorney’s fees and out-of-pocket expenses, unless we recover damages on your behalf from the responsible party or insurance company. After our first meeting, we generally move on to the evidence-gathering stage. We request police reports, obtain medical records, contact insurance carriers, hire experts, obtain statements from witnesses, and assemble photographic evidence of vehicles and accident scenes. Throughout this process, we urge our clients to contact us at any time with their questions and concerns. If injuries make it difficult for clients to leave the house, we can make home visits. We also frequently send documents to clients through email or regular mail.

Settling Your Claim

In a typical case, we provide the insurance company with your medical reports and bills, prescription expenses and lost wage information after the conclusion of treatment. The insurance company’s adjuster will review and evaluate this documentation, and may request additional information before settlement discussions begin. Our clients often ask us how long the settlement process will take. Many factors influence the settlement timetable, including the size and complexity of the case, the adjuster’s settlement authority, the insurance company’s claim review procedures, and the responsiveness and cooperation of the adjuster involved. Each case is unique, and we are always focused on resolving claims as efficiently as possible. When a case does not settle through the initial negotiation process, the next step is to determine whether to file a lawsuit, begin the arbitration process or consider mediation. If we believe that dispute resolution techniques will benefit your case, we will support and advise you through arbitration or mediation.

The Decision To Proceed To Trial

When settlement efforts have been exhausted and disputes remain, litigation is generally the next step. As with everything we do, the decision to go to trial is only made after careful consultation with our clients. Although litigation is by far the most time-consuming and costly method of pursuing your rights, it is sometimes inevitable. If you decide to proceed to trial, we have the skills, resources and experience to vigorously represent your interests in court. It is important to understand that even though a lawsuit has been filed, the parties can still continue to work toward a negotiated settlement on their own with court assistance, or through private nonbinding mediation or binding arbitration. At Appleton & Appleton, LLC, we regularly use these tools to resolve cases even after litigation has commenced.

Contact Us To Discuss Your Case

Call our office today at 860-246-5481 to speak to one of our experienced trial lawyers about your case.