A Georgia Car Accident Attorney Explains Cases Going to Trial

 
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were nearly 7 million car crashes in the United States in 2018 alone. Of these, 1,894,000 resulted in injury and 33,919 were fatal.

 
Unfortunately, the State of Georgia is no exception to these concerning nationwide statistics. In fact, in 2018, there were 1,504 traffic deaths reported in Georgia, representing more than 4% of the nationwide traffic fatalities that year.

 
If you have sustained injuries or property damage in a car accident, it’s likely that you will have significant expenses and damages that you may not be able to afford. Depending on the facts surrounding your car accident, it might be time to consider filing a lawsuit and going to trial to receive financial compensation.

The thought of filing a lawsuit and going to trial can seem a little overwhelming, especially if you aren’t familiar with the process. Fortunately, however, not all car accident cases will end up at trial. In fact, a Georgia car accident attorney at Blasingame, Burch, Garrard & Ashley, P.C. notes, “Many lawsuits resolve outside of court through mediation or arbitration.”

Nevertheless, it’s still good to have an understanding of the process of going to trial in case the situation ever arises.

The first step in the trial preparation process is called “discovery.” Essentially, discovery is the formal process through which parties to a lawsuit exchange pertinent evidence and information related to the lawsuit.

The discovery process is designed to put the parties on notice of potential evidence and witnesses that will be used at trial.

The first step when you get to trial is jury selection, otherwise known as “voir dire.” In a car accident trial, the jury is the factfinder.

 
During jury selection, attorneys for each side will have an opportunity to ask questions and strike potential jury members who may be biased in some way. Thus, this is a crucial part of the process.

Once the jury has been selected, it is time for the trial to begin.

 
First, the attorney for each party will make its opening statement. The opening statement is each party’s opportunity to set the stage for their respective cases before getting into the details of their arguments.

 
Next comes the bulk of the trial with the presentation of evidence. During this stage, the parties will present their cases by calling witnesses to testify to key issues in the case.

 
Finally, closing arguments will begin. Closing arguments are each party’s last chance to make their case. Having a strong closing argument is imperative, as this is the last thing the jury will hear before deliberation.

For each part of the trial—opening statements, presentation of evidence, and closing arguments—the plaintiff’s attorney will always go first, followed by the defense.

Lastly is jury deliberation and the verdict. Following closing arguments, the jury will go to a separate and isolated room. Together, the jury will deliberate on the facts and evidence presented until they reach a final verdict in your car accident case.

Trials can be complicated. But the importance of understanding the trial process can’t be overstated.