What Are the Steps to File a Personal Injury Claim in St. Louis?
If settlement negotiations are unsuccessful, it may be time to file a personal injury lawsuit. The personal injury lawsuit process typically involves taking the following steps:
- Drafting a complaint that names the defendants, explains why they are responsible for your injuries, and asks the court to order them to pay you for the harm you have suffered
- Filing the complaint with the appropriate court
- Serving the complaint on the defendants, meaning delivering it to them in a way that conforms to legal standards
- Answering the complaint, in which the defendants formally respond to your allegations
- Pursuing discovery, the process by which each side collects evidence and shares it with the other side
- Going to trial, where each side makes its case to the court
- Rendering a judgment, in which the court decides the case and, if it finds in favor of the injured party, determines how much the defendant must pay