Car accidents happen all the time and when they do, drivers depend on their insurance companies to help them out and resolve in lawsuits that may occur. When a lawsuit gets filed for an automobile accident, most of them are settled in a court with a trial. There is an alternative to going to trial and that is to settle the case out of court with both parties agreeing to the terms.
If you were involved in a automobile accident and it cannot be resolved without going to court then you may want to prepare yourself for the process of a trail before you go. Trials vary from state to state but the procedures all courts adopt is based on the basic procedures.
Jury Selection in a Car Accident Trial
The first step that needs to occur is the jury selection. In many states, a jury is the one that decides the main issues of an accident case. The size of the jury is normally twelve but it can be lower. During this step in a trial, potential jurors are asked a series of questions to help lawyers and judges determine if they would be a good fit for the jury that will proceed over the case. This pre selection meeting helps them to determine if anyone would be biased or prejudice which would make the trail unfair.
Opening Statements
Now that the jury is selected, the parties representing the plaintiff and defendant will make opening statements to start the trial. The plaintiff’s lawyer will go first since the plaintiff is the one that arranged for the trial to take place. During the opening statement, the parties have the opportunity to basically set the stage for all jurors so they understand where they are going with questioning and such.
The Plaintiff’s Presentation of Evidence
Once the opening statements are complete, the plaintiff’s lawyer will then begin presenting evidence and tell the plaintiff’s side of the story. During this time, witnesses are called to the stand to make a statement and answer questions in order to help paint a clearer picture of what occurred leading up to the accident, what happened to cause the accident, who witnessed the accident happening, who was involved with the accident, and what occurred after the accident.
During this time, the plaintiff will have the stage. This is the time for them to convince jurors that his/her client is the one that deserves to win the case.
The Defendant’s Presentation of Evidence
Once the plaintiff is done presenting everything, it is time for the defendant. The defendant’s lawyer will follow the same procedure and inform the juror of what happened through the accounts that took place for the defendant. They will call witnesses to the stand for questioning and present any evidence that may be important for the trial.
Closing Arguments
During the closing arguments, Personal Injury Lawyers in Mississauga will have the opportunity to close the story for the juror through the eyes of their client. The lawyer will directly speak to the jury about the evidence that they presented and try to persuade the jurors to see their client’s side of things.
Jury Deliberation
Once all evidence has been presented, witnesses has taken the stand, and everything that could be said is done, the jury will get up and exit the court room and enter another room where the doors are closed so they can discuss the case and decide on a verdict. Sometimes it can take a few hours, other times it can take a few days.
Once the jury has reached a verdict, they will notify the judge and the court will begin again. Once everyone is back in the court room, the judge will find out what the jurors have decided and award the claim or deny it.
