Legal process is the formal sequence of steps and official documents through which a legal matter is started, handled, and finished. The term covers both the route a case travels and the court-issued papers that move it along, such as a summons, a subpoena, or a writ.
This section explains how an injury case actually moves. The conduct pages cover what to do and what to avoid while a claim is open. The doctrine pages define the legal ideas a case turns on, such as duty, breach and assumption of risk. The hiring pages cover choosing and working with a lawyer, and the stages pages walk from filing through deposition, settlement and trial, including how long each step usually takes.
conduct6 pages
What to do, whom to talk to, and what to avoid while an injury claim is open.
3 People to Talk to After a Crash
After a car crash, three people can help you protect your interests: the police, who create an official record and collect witness details; a doctor, who documents injuries that may not be immediately apparent, such as whiplash; and an attorney. Stay calm at the scene and avoid admitting fault.How Do Prior Injuries Affect Personal Injury Cases?
Learn how prior injuries and pre-existing conditions impact personal injury claims, strategies for plaintiffs, and what the eggshell plaintiff rule and related legal concepts mean.Malingering: What Personal Injury Plaintiffs Need to Know
What is Malingering? If you were injured because of someone else’s negligence or actions, you have the right to seek compensation for your losses. However, defendants, insurance companies, and workers’ compensation programs are often reluctant to pay that compensation. One way these parties try to avoid paying compensation is by accusing the victim of lying […]Should I Use a Chiropractor After an Accident
Being involved in a car accident can be a painful experience, often causing injuries that may last for weeks, months, or even years. If you’re experiencing pain from an auto accident, you may be wondering if you should see a chiropractor to help deal with your pain. Below, we will answer some of the most […]Why You Cannot Wait to See a Doctor After a Crash
People often walk away from a car accident feeling fine, but feeling no pain does not mean you are uninjured. Latent injuries such as whiplash, concussions, internal bleeding, and organ damage may not show symptoms until days or weeks later.Why You Should Never Post About Your Crash on Social Media
Anything you post on social media after a car accident can be used against you in your claim. Statements about how the crash happened may suggest fault, and photos may be used to argue your injuries are less severe than claimed. Even private posts can be obtained by subpoena.
doctrine17 pages
The legal ideas a case turns on: duty, breach, the reasonable person, assumption of risk and more.
An Employee's Duty of Care in an Emergency
Whether a worker must act in an emergency turns on duty of care -- and that usually depends on company policy and the scope of the job. When an employer narrowly defines duties or fails to train staff, the employer, not the worker, often bears responsibility under vicarious liability and respondeat superior.Are Class Actions and Mass Torts the Same?
No. Class actions and mass torts both let large groups of injured people pursue compensation, but they differ in plaintiff control. In a class action, a class representative controls the case and members share one outcome. In a mass tort, each plaintiff keeps a separate, individual claim that is coordinated with others for efficiency.Defamation as a Personal Injury Claim
Defamation can be a personal injury claim because injury law covers intangible harm, including damage to reputation, not just bodily harm. To win, the plaintiff must prove the four negligence elements -- duty, breach, causation, and actual damages -- by a preponderance of the evidence.Serious Injury vs. Personal Injury: How They Differ & Why It Matters
Not All Injuries Are the Same. Here’s Why & How Those Differences Could Impact Your Recovery Trauma from an accident can be debilitating in diverse ways. Aside from the region of the body affected, trauma can be psychological in nature, and it can vary by severity. In many cases, it takes time to determine the […]What Is a Class Action Suit?
A class action is a civil lawsuit filed on behalf of a large group of people who suffered similar harm from the same defendant. One or more named plaintiffs represent the entire class, so each member does not have to sue separately. A court must certify the class, and the outcome — settlement or verdict — binds every member who does not opt out.What Is a Mass Tort?
A mass tort is a single coordinated proceeding that handles many plaintiffs who suffered similar injuries from the same product, drug, disaster, or course of conduct. Each plaintiff keeps a separate claim and proves their own damages, but the cases are consolidated before one judge to streamline discovery. It can join anywhere from a few dozen to tens of thousands of injured people.What is an Assumption of Risk in Personal Injury Claims?
A defendant may argue assumption of the risk if the plaintiff’s risky behavior caused their harm. Learn about this defense in personal injury cases.What Is an Intentional Tort?
An intentional tort is a civil wrong committed on purpose, rather than by accident or carelessness. Unlike negligence, where harm results from a failure to use reasonable care, an intentional tort involves a deliberate act — assault, battery, false imprisonment, or intentional infliction of emotional distress. The same conduct can be both a crime and a tort, and a victim can sue for damages even if no criminal charge succeeds.What Is Arbitration?
Arbitration is a form of alternative dispute resolution where the parties agree to submit a dispute to one or more arbitrators, who hear the evidence and issue a binding decision called an award. It is contract-based — the parties must have an arbitration agreement first — and it generally resolves faster and more privately than a court trial, but with limited discovery and almost no right to appeal.What Is Breach of Duty?
Breach of duty occurs when a person’s actions breach the standard of care required of all individuals. It factors heavily into personal injury claims.What Is Mediation?
Mediation is a private, voluntary process where the parties to a dispute and their attorneys sit down with a trained, neutral mediator to work toward a jointly acceptable resolution. It is faster, cheaper, and less formal than litigation, gives the parties more control over the outcome, and stays confidential — if it fails, either party can return to court.What Is Negligent Entrustment?
Negligent entrustment is a form of negligence that holds the owner of a dangerous instrument — usually a vehicle — liable when they hand it to someone they knew, or should have known, was incompetent, unlicensed, or reckless. If that person then causes a crash, the owner can be on the hook for the resulting damages, separate from the driver's own fault.What Is Negligent Supervision?
Negligent supervision is a form of direct employer liability that arises when a company fails to adequately monitor and manage its employees and someone is harmed as a result. To prove it, an injured party must show the employer owed a duty to supervise, breached that duty, and that the breach directly caused the harm. Remedies can include monetary damages, reinstatement, and court-ordered policy changes.What is Res Ipsa Loquitur?
The doctrine of res ipsa loquitur shifts the burden of proof to the defendant in a personal injury case. Learn how it could affect your claim.What Is the Difference Between a Criminal and Civil Case?
A criminal case is brought by the government to punish someone accused of a crime, and conviction can mean jail, fines, or lost rights. A civil case is brought by a private party seeking compensation or an order to act, and the only remedy is money or an injunction — never prison. Criminal cases require proof beyond a reasonable doubt; civil cases only a preponderance of the evidence.What Is the Reasonable Person Standard?
The reasonable person standard sets an expected level of acceptable behavior. Violating it and causing harm may serve as a breach of duty in an injury claim.What is Vicarious Liability?
Vicarious liability occurs when one party bears liability for the actions of another party, often an employee. A lawyer can help victims understand what bearing vicarious liability has on their claims.
hiring12 pages
Choosing a lawyer, what a consultation covers, and how representation changes a claim.
Attorney vs. Trial Attorney: What Sets Them Apart?
A trial attorney is a specialized kind of attorney focused on representing clients in civil and criminal cases, including the courtroom and the extensive preparation that precedes it. The distinction can matter even when a case never reaches court.Do I Need an Injury or Criminal Lawyer?
Both Fight to Protect Your Rights, But They Work on Completely Different Cases Attorneys, like physicians, specialize in distinct areas, focusing their practice on specific types of cases. That’s how legal professionals hone their knowledge and become masterful at handling complex legal issues and the toughest cases. So, how do you know when you need […]How a Lawyer Changes the Value of a Car Wreck Claim
A lawyer changes the value of a car wreck claim by changing the inputs an insurer prices: how completely the losses are documented, how clearly liability is presented, and how seriously the insurer weighs the chance of trial. Insurers price claims on risk, and a file built as if headed to litigation forces a different calculation.How To Find A Good Injury Attorney
A good injury lawyer handles insurer negotiations, settlement talks, and lawsuits against defendants who deny valid claims, so an injured client can focus on recovery. Relevant trial experience, a thorough investigation, and a track record of large verdicts distinguish an attorney suited to a serious injury case.Questions to Ask to Find the Best Personal Injury Attorney
Choosing among the many firms competing for injury cases can be confusing, so this page lists key questions to ask a prospective personal injury attorney. They include what areas of law the attorney specializes in and whether they have handled similar cases and with what results, helping you gauge whether an attorney's skills and focus fit your case. It notes past results do not guarantee outcomes.Reasons People do not seek Personal Injury Advice After an Accident
Many accident victims skip legal help because they assume an attorney is unaffordable. For personal injury cases that assumption is mistaken: such attorneys typically work on a contingency basis, meaning they are paid only after a case settles and the client recovers, with their fee capped by law as a percentage of the settlement.What Does a Plaintiff Lawyer Do? Roles and Responsibilities
Explore the role of plaintiff lawyers in legal cases. Learn about their responsibilities, how they differ from other lawyers, and what to expect from one.What To Bring To Your First Meeting With An Injury Lawyer
Bring everything documenting the incident, your injuries, and your losses: medical records and bills, any accident or police report, insurance information and insurer correspondence, photos or video, witness contacts, proof of lost income and out-of-pocket costs, and a photo ID. None of it is mandatory, since a lawyer can request most records for you, but it speeds the evaluation of fault, damages, and deadlines. A written timeline of events also helps. This page details each category.What to Expect From Lawyer-Client Communications
A law firm should set clear communication expectations at the start of a personal injury case: explaining the legal process, consulting the client on goals, responding promptly to questions, and notifying the client of key events such as depositions, hearings, and settlement offers. The client in turn must provide accurate information and stay reachable. Clear standards help a client choose the right attorney and participate in case decisions.What To Expect in a Personal Injury Consultation?
A personal injury consultation is the initial meeting, typically free and without obligation, where an injured person and an attorney discuss the case. The attorney gathers facts about the incident, injuries, and medical treatment to assess the claim's merits; the client can ask about fees, process, and the attorney's experience with similar cases. Preparing documents, a written timeline, and questions in advance makes the meeting more productive.What’s the Point of a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Personal injury lawyers at Trey Morris Injury Lawyers: how attorneys handle insurance tactics, the two-year filing deadline, and how injured clients recover.Why You Need an Experienced Trial Lawyer
Louisiana and Texas let accident victims pursue compensation through a civil claim, and many claims settle without ever going to court. Trial experience still matters even when you plan to negotiate: an attorney prepared to go to court can strengthen your negotiating position, and defendants may be more willing to settle. Establishing an initial claim requires proving the elements of negligence, beginning with the duty of care owed to you.
stages4 pages
Filing, discovery, deposition, settlement and trial, and how long each step usually takes.
Litigation Financing: A Novel Legal Practice
Litigation financing, also called non-recourse financing, is a loan advanced against a case's potential settlement. If the plaintiff loses, the financer recovers nothing; if they win, the financer recovers the loan plus interest, which can reach 100% or more of the original amount.The Road to a Personal Injury Case
There are no two personal injury cases that are exactly the same due to all the different factors that go into them. Everything from who was hurt, how the accident happened, the damages owed, applicable liability laws, and more all change the way a claim or lawsuit looks. Yet, as our team from Trey Morris Injury Lawyers Injury […]Trial Preparation, a Lawyer’s Responsibility
Trial preparation is the attorney's responsibility and is the main reason cases take months or years. The lawyer investigates the claim, gathers medical records, police reports, and witness statements, evaluates whether the case is actionable, conducts discovery including depositions and interrogatories, negotiates with insurers, files motions, and prepares exhibits and testimony. Most of this work happens behind the scenes with little client contact until court.Unveiling the Power of Graphic Design in Legal Trials
Trial graphics help attorneys summarize and visualize a case's key facts, connect the pieces of a client's story, and convey those facts to a jury. This page explains what a trial is, how the process unfolds from jury selection through opening statements and the presentation of cases, and how trial graphics are created, presented, and used in the courtroom.
general2 pages
How to Hire a Lawyer
Hiring a lawyer means setting up a formal, professional relationship in which an attorney agrees to advise or represent you, and you agree to the terms of that work. It is more than a phone call or a single meeting.Legal Terminology
Legal terminology is the specialized vocabulary lawyers, judges, and statutes use to name precise legal ideas. A single word can carry a fixed meaning that decides who wins, who pays, and what a document requires. That is why two contracts that look almost identical can produce opposite outcomes.