What Happens in a Personal Injury Trial

Most of us are familiar with basic court proceedings after watching legal shows and movies. Minus the showboating and drama, most court cases do follow pretty much the standard steps as shown in today's media, and your Indiana personal injury case is not much different.

The basic steps of a standard personal injury trial are: 

• jury selection;
• opening statements;
• witness testimony and cross-examination;
• closing arguments;
• jury instruction and deliberation;
• final verdict; and
• jury award. 

Jury selection is self explanatory; the lawyers of each side are allowed to reject and approve a pool of potential jurors. Once the jury is assembled, each side of the lawsuit presents their opening statements that give a brief outline of their client's position in the trial.

After the jury is familiarized with each party's claims, they will hear the witness testimony, which can include the plaintiff and defendants themselves, as well as witnesses of the accident and expert witnesses brought in by their attorneys. These testimonials serve as evidence in the case.

The closing arguments recap the testimony from each party and give a final review of their evidence, claims and requests for action on the case. The jury is then instructed on the legal standards they must apply to the evidence to make a decision on the case.

After a period of deliberation, which may take a few minutes or several weeks, depending on the complexity of the case, the jury will return to the judge with a final verdict.

The verdict is reviewed by the judge and then presented aloud to the court. Only when the jury fails to find a unanimous or majority agreement will the case be declared a mistrial, which means it will either be dismissed or start over completely, with a new jury selection.

Before the trial takes place, there are many steps to follow in the filing of your personal injury case. A good understanding of this process is important, but you should consider the assistance of an Indianapolis personal injury attorney to get the most out of your personal injury compensation.  

A Helping Hand from an Indianapolis Personal Injury Attorney

The personal injury attorneys at Hensley Legal Group P.C. have helped Indiana residents settle many types of personal injury claims. From car accidents to surgical errors, if you or a loved one has suffered serious injury because of the negligence of another, we are here to help. Order a copy of our complimentary Consumer's Guide for Injured Victims to learn more about your personal injury claim. Contact us today for a no-cost consultation - 888-505-8232.