Process of an Auto Accident Trial in Lakewood

The litigation process begins when the plaintiff files a complaint against the at-fault party. Once the complaint has been answered by the defendant, a number of status conferences take place between the involved parties and the district court judge to simplify matters for the trial. A jury would then be picked through the process of voire dire.

Victims looking to obtain compensation should speak with a lawyer before taking any legal action. Deciding to act before consulting with an attorney could have a negative effect on a prospective claim. Schedule a consultation to learn more about the process of an auto accident trial in Lakewood.

What is Voir Dire & Who can Qualify as a Witness?

Voir dire is the process by which both parties pick and choose who would best be suited to serve as a jury member. They could ask potential jury members different questions regarding their history and whether they could be an unbiased decision-maker on behalf of the parties.

Once the jury is selected, the case would then move forward to trial where the plaintiff’s attorney presents their witnesses. Witnesses could include any of the following:

• Police officers who arrived on the scene of the accident
• Witnesses including the plaintiff and the defendant
• Expert witnesses including doctors and accident reconstructionists

Opening Statements and Presentation of Evidence

An opening statement is usually made prior to the presentation of evidence. The opening statement is regarded as an opportunity for both parties to give the jury a verbal roadmap of what evidence is going to be presented and what the jury should be specifically looking for.

Once the opening statement has been made, evidence would be presented by the claimant through witnesses and documentation. During the process of the presentation of evidence, the opposing counsel is allowed to cross-examine the witnesses presented by the claimant. Once the plaintiff has concluded with their portion of the evidence presentation process, the defendant party would then present their evidence. The plaintiff will also have the opportunity to cross examine the defendant’s evidence.

Closing Statements

Once both parties have presented their evidence, they would then begin their closing statements. Both parties will summarize their arguments once more, briefly commenting on the evidence and how it relates to which way the jury should rule in favor if. The jury would then be given instructions on what decisions and issues need to be answered. Then, the jury will make a finding either in favor of plaintiff or against the plaintiff, and if there are multiple issues that the jury has to decide, then it could be a mixed verdict where the jury decides some issues in favor of the claimant and some issues in favor of the defendant.

Consult an Attorney Today

There is no downside to consulting an attorney before deciding to file a claim following a Lakewood auto accident. A lawyer could only strengthen the likelihood of obtaining a favorable outcome by helping you collect evidence, interview witnesses, and accurately estimate how much compensation you are owed. To begin taking advantage of the services provided by an attorney, be sure to schedule a consultation today.