The fact is that accidents happen and sometimes those accidents result in injury. It is an easy enough situation to remedy with anyone who was unnecessarily harmed through the negligence of another party restituted for medical bills and pain and suffering. The laws governing such restitution are known as personal injury laws.
The laws that govern personal injury law, unlike other fields of law, have been almost entirely formed as result of other cases or precedent; as such the statute of limitations varies from region to region. For instance, the statute of limitation for personal injury in New Jersey is two years while in New York it is three.
There are two forms of settlement.
An informal settlement is an arrangement that bypasses the need for a formal lawsuit. This process often involves those personally involved in the dispute, the insurers, and the attorneys. The process is a long form of negotiation and often benefits from having an experienced attorney who is adept at litigation techniques. Often this option is significantly preferred by all parties as it arrives at the quickest resolution.
Should negotiations not go well a formal civil “complaint” will be filed by the plaintiff. This often alleges that a careless and avoidable act resulted in substantial injury to physical and/or mental health. These settlements are often long and drawn out.