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The Timeline of a Case According to a Portland Personal Injury Lawyer

The Timeline of a Case According to a Portland Personal Injury Lawyer

Personal injury accidents occur regularly, but they almost never happen expectedly. Whether it’s a car accident, slip and fall accident, or another type of accident, these incidents have the potential to cause severe harm to victims and their loved ones.

While no two personal injury cases will adhere to the same steps – considering each involves a unique set of facts and circumstances – there is a general process that most will follow. The remaining sections will describe the rough timeline of a case according to a Portland personal injury lawyer.

The Timeline of a Personal Injury Case in Portland

Ultimately, most Portland personal injury cases will resolve via a settlement agreement – the vast majority will not make it to court. However, sometimes it is in the victim’s best interest to bring a case to court, as it could increase their bargaining power and lead to a more favorable outcome. The steps outlined below take into account these considerations and many others.

The Accident and the Immediate Aftermath

Technically speaking, a personal injury case begins with an accident or situation that causes the victim harm. Once the accident occurs, there are a few things to keep in mind, such as:

  • The victim should seek prompt medical attention. Medical records could serve as crucial evidence to the success of any eventual compensation claims.
  • It is important not to accept blame or apologize for the accident as the victim, as doing so could hurt the value of the claim.
  • If appropriate, such as in a motor vehicle accident, it is important to call 911 and make the proper authorities aware of the situation. A police report cannot be used as evidence, as it will likely be considered hearsay by a court, but it could still prove helpful in other ways.
  • If possible, the victim should take photos and videos of the accident scene. It may also be beneficial to collect contact information from any eyewitnesses. These things can serve as additional evidence.

From there, the victim should consult with a Portland personal injury attorney to learn about whether they have a case and what their legal options are. Ideally, the victim should speak with a lawyer prior to speaking with an insurance company or the at-fault party.

The Initial Investigation

Assuming the victim has a case and has hired a lawyer, the attorney and the rest of their legal team will undertake an internal investigation into the situation. During that investigation, they can gather additional evidence (sometimes with the assistance of experts), fully evaluate the victim’s damages, and identify any liable parties. 

Demand Letter and Negotiations

Once the Portland personal injury lawyer understands the accident and their client’s damages to a sufficient degree, they will usually then send a demand letter to the at-fault party or, most often, to their insurer. Their insurance company will assign an adjuster to the claim who will review the letter and the situation. 

Next, the insurance company will respond to the demand letter, either accepting liability and offering a settlement amount or will reject liability. In almost every case, even if the company accepts liability, it will offer an amount that is less than what the claim is actually worth

Negotiations will then ensue between the attorney and the insurance company. Several steps may take place during this time, such as further evidence collecting, depositions, and more. Many personal injury cases will reach a final outcome at this point, assuming the attorney and the at-fault party are able to arrive at a fair settlement agreement.

Filing a Lawsuit, Pretrial Procedures

If the two sides cannot agree to a settlement, it may become best to file a lawsuit and bring the case to court. 

One major reason why this may be the case is that filing a lawsuit will allow the Portland personal injury lawyer to undertake the pretrial discovery process. During pretrial discovery, the attorney can potentially gather further information and evidence in support of the compensation claim. Other pretrial procedures may also take place, such as pretrial motions and hearings.

More broadly, the threat of trial can also increase the personal injury victim’s bargaining power with the other side. Litigation can involve significant time and resources, which the at-fault party may not be willing to dedicate to the situation. 

Instead, they may be persuaded to offer an adequate settlement amount, as a case can still settle during these procedures.

Trial

If the two parties still cannot resolve the dispute via a settlement agreement, the case may make it all the way to trial. Cases usually do not make it this far, even once a lawsuit has been filed.

The trial will be heard in front of a judge, and a jury will usually make the ultimate determination as to whether the at-fault party is liable for the victim’s damages. If the jury finds the at-fault party liable, they will then largely determine what amount of money to award to the victim. Virtually every case will reach a final outcome at this point.

Hiring an Experienced Portland Personal Injury Attorney Can Make All the Difference

Personal injury cases can vary widely in how they develop and conclude. While most will settle before making it to the courtroom – let alone all the way to trial – it can be helpful to hold those possibilities above the at-fault party’s head, so to speak.

As a result, it is almost always worth the victim’s time to reach out to a lawyer to schedule a free case review. This is to ensure that they understand their legal rights and options, as well as whether hiring an attorney makes sense for them and their circumstances. 

Hiring an experienced Portland personal injury lawyer at Tillmann Law Personal Injury Lawyers can significantly increase the value of the victim’s claim. Further, most personal injury attorneys offer free initial consultations to go over the victim’s accident situation.

As lawyers in this area of the law generally work on contingency, they won’t be able to take on the case unless it makes sense for everyone involved. Give us a call at (503) 272-8986.

Justin Vieth
Justin Vieth
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Shimmeri Selph
Shimmeri Selph
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Don't waste your time.
Alan Rogers
Alan Rogers
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Thanks Aaron, we truly appreciate everything you have done for us.I know that I was a handful early on, but you handled it with a deft touch and ultimately proved yourself to be a great advocate for our family none the less.Thanks so much Bud!You have my eternal respect and gratitude.
Tim Cheredayko
Tim Cheredayko
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Tillmann helped me out a lot! Going over ever detail with the case from both sides and always informing me what is going to happen through out the case. Definitely recommend Tillmann Law!
A B
A B
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Rude. Classist. The receptionist needs some manners. Actually hung up when told was a low income family.
Justin W
Justin W
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I had the pleasure of working with Aaron and his team over the course of the last year. They were very professional and responsive. Dealing with injuries can be dreadful, but Aaron made it as painless as possible. I highly recommend.
Bonnie Thorn
Bonnie Thorn
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Aaron Tillmann and his entire staff were professional, empathetic and very knowledgeable. They assisted our family at a time when we were grieving the loss of our son with compassion and respect.
Tina Rutledge
Tina Rutledge
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Arisbet Bustos
Arisbet Bustos
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I am very grateful and pleased with the services of Lawyer Aaron and his team work, especially Julia, who was always attentive to my concerns and resolved my doubts with a good attitude and empathy, and best of all, she speaks Spanish. Thank you so much!!!
Ken Pollett
Ken Pollett
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I was involved in a serious auto accident. Not that there is a good time to be in any accident, it just happened to be 2020. Tillman Law and support staff kept me in the loop as the court system was disarray with all the Covid issues. The staff was very professional and courteous. In a nutshell, they took care of me.
Jordan Bedrick
Jordan Bedrick
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My husband was in a bad car accident a few years back, and he was stopped due to traffic. He was behind a fuel truck, and someone rear-ended him, going 60mph. The worst part was our 6 mo old was in our and the truck was totaled beyond repair and my husbands back injured severly he ended up with 2 broken vertebrae. Our child had ptsd any time getting into a vehicle after that. Tillman made this right even though we couldn't do much for our son other comfort him and make car rides more comfortable from there on out Tillman was able to get my husband the money he deserved after the other driver was extremely negligent and either not paying attention or on his phone or something unfortunately this was during covid and when the police came they didnt do a single thing to check for any of that. We can't say enough good things about Aaron Tillman he gave us our hope back and the ability to have back surgery to repair a lot of his back issues due to the car wreck. So if you have been in an accident definitely call Tillman Law they're amazing super professional, kind and empathetic beings who will work for the best possible outcome for your case and fight they won't just roll over and play dead they spent about 2.5 years on my husbands case never giving up. He was always super honest with my husband and always communicated everything. So again, thank you, Aaron Tillman, and thank you to your law firm for working so tirelessly. We appreciate it more than you know.
Cassie Kocker
Cassie Kocker
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Aaron is great. He is professional and personable which makes you feel cared about during the process. He will provide advice and resources so that the process is smooth and renders positive results. I highly recommend!
Michael Darling (Mike Rich)
Michael Darling (Mike Rich)
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Still working with them to this day! Great firm great people. Much recommend
Brittany Sloan
Brittany Sloan
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I can’t recommend Tillman Law enough. We were in a sticky situation from a car accident in December and my partner was out of work for over a month. Aaron told us we may not be able to get those lost wages, but he would definitely try to fight the insurance for them and even then we might not see the money for a long time. It’s only been 3 1/2 months since the accident and we just got our lost funds today. Tillman Law was quick, efficient, and made this entire situation much less painful. I appreciate everything they’ve done for us.
Hazel Ault
Hazel Ault
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Jennifer nelson
Jennifer nelson
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Great experience
Oksana Pavlenko
Oksana Pavlenko
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Really pleased with my experience at Tillmann Law. Mr. Tillmann and his team were on top of my case, worked hard to answer any questions I had and finished my case in a timely manner. I was really happy with the outcome . Thank you!
Robert Swanson
Robert Swanson
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Tucker Earp
Tucker Earp
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Linette Figueroa
Linette Figueroa
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Mr. Tillman took care of my care seamlessly! He immediately hopped on my case immediately and guided me through the entire process. His team is professional, organized and well-resourced! He even went back to ensure the settlement was beyond fair. If you want someone who will fight tooth and nail on your behalf- Mr. Tillman is your lawyer!
Robert Aley
Robert Aley
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I am so happy to promote Aaron and his team. They did such an amazing job handling my case. Call them if you need service. I called him when I first needed help with my accident and he called me back within five minutes. This team is so great! I am so happy to have worked with them.
Teresa Ochoa
Teresa Ochoa
1633214433
Mr. Tillmann and his paralegal Jason were fantastic to work with! They were always available to answer my questions in a timely manner and delivered a very good outcome after I was rear ended. I would recommend their services to anyone.
Roro Roro
Roro Roro
1631419364
Amazing team at the Tillman Law, LLC . His work speaks for it self. Thank you for being professional and above all understanding to different people. God bless everyone that works there .
Mercury Nightstone
Mercury Nightstone
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Aaron and his staff, especially Jason, were all extremely courteous, timely, and professional. Highly recommend, truly appreciate your hard work!
Danielle Martin
Danielle Martin
1627923620
The Tillman Law Firm is amazing! I have been very pleased with everyone that I came in contact with concerning my case. They filed the case against the insurance company and fought hard in litigation to get what rightfully was taken from me. I would highly recommend them, they are the best in the Portland metro area!
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