When a car accident has impacted you, getting your life back to some semblance of normal is the goal. No one likes to be without transportation, get behind on bills due to lost work, and suffer from physical and emotional injuries. As you begin to recover, you might want to view the personal injury process as a series of milestones along a pathway to compensation. Read on to find out more about several milestones to look forward to in your quest back to normal.

Release Your Burden

If your accident was bad enough to cause you injuries and to miss work, you probably need to speak to an auto accident attorney. The insurance policy owned by the at-fault driver will only pay for certain forms of damage and lost wages and pain and suffering are not usually among those. Additionally, having legal representation means knowing how much your case is worth and getting it from the insurance company in the form of a settlement.

Settle Your Case

A settlement is preferable to a trial in many ways. Settlements are fast – you might be the recipient of a check in a matter of weeks and not the months it can take for a case to come to trial. They are also more convenient and less time-consuming for both sides. Settlements are so preferred, in fact, the vast majority of personal injury case settle outside of court. In most cases, your attorney will let the other side know what your damages are and how much you expect to be paid as a result. Your attorney will negotiate to be the highest amount of compensation they can for you.

Discovery Activities

Don't be too disappointed if you end up not being offered an adequate settlement. It's far better to go to court than to accept a settlement that won't cover your medical expenses, lost wages, personal property losses, and pain and suffering. As you approach the court date, both sides in a lawsuit participate in discovery. This means a sharing of information about the case. Once the other side sees the evidence you have supporting your allegations of fault and the proof of your damages, they may well agree to settle the case to avoid going to court.

Your Day in Court

The final milestone in the personal injury process is the trial. The event may only last a few days or it may go on for a few weeks – it really depends on the complexity of the case. Evidence is presented by each side and the judge will issue a verdict or judgment if you win your case. If not, you do have the opportunity to appeal the ruling.

To find out more about any of the above, speak to a personal injury attorney.