All car accident trials in Omaha begin with a jury selection. This process requires Omaha car accident lawyers to ask a panel of potential jurors a series of questions in an attempt to rule out anyone they believe has potential biases or personal beliefs that may impact their decision.
Car Accident Opening Statements
Once the jury pool is selected, they will swear in and start the opening statement. Your attorney will give an opening statement to tell the jury what they believe the evidence in your case is going to show. This gives the jury an idea of what the case is about and why they’re there. Then, the defense has an opportunity to present their opening statement about what they believe the evidence is going to show.
Presenting Evidence in an Auto Accident Case
Once opening statements are done, you may begin presenting your evidence, calling witnesses, and showing exhibits. As the plaintiff, you bear the burden of proof at trial. The defense attorney has the opportunity throughout this process to question the witnesses you called. Litigators will focus on the actual damages, the medical costs that were incurred, and the treatment incurred.
When you are done with your evidence, witnesses, and exhibits, the defense will call their witnesses. While the defense questions witnesses and puts on evidence or other exhibits, you will have the opportunity to question them. This process goes back and forth until everyone’s done, and then you have an opportunity to call a couple more witnesses if you want to refute any statements the defense made.
Closing Statements
After the evidence has been presented, both sides may offer closing statements. In a closing statement, your attorney explains to the jury what the evidence showed, summarizes it, and explains why that supports your claim for compensation. Your legal representative will then ask the jury to allow the injury compensation to be awarded to you.
The defense may issue their closing statement by explaining why your attorney misconstrued the accident and asking the jury to award nothing to you for your injuries. Afterwards, the jury goes back to the deliberation room to deliberate and make a decision.
Berry Law’s Team Provides You With Multiple Attorney Perspectives
What is the Typical Timeline for Car Wreck Trials in Our Area?
Auto accident trials in Omaha can last a year or more. The length of a case is primarily affected by how long it takes to get everything ready for trial, how long it takes to get depositions scheduled, the court schedule, and other related factors.
How Can a Lawyer Help at an Omaha Car Accident Trial?
A member of Berry Law’s legal team can make sure you have the right witnesses available to get your evidence into the record. If you are in a situation where it’s obvious that the car crash caused your injuries, for example, you don’t need a doctor to come to court and testify that the accident caused your damages.
However, a doctor might have to testify about other things like whether the discovery process included evidence for long-term implications of your injuries. On the other hand, when you have injuries that are not so apparent (i.e. soft tissue injuries), you’re going to need a physician to testify about what the injuries are and more than likely what caused them.
Having the right witnesses available and the right representation can make all the difference in your ability to recover compensation in a local car crash trial, so call Berry Law today to get started.
