Litigation begins after it is determined that you have a case, and will need to file a lawsuit in order to get results.

Commence Your Lawsuit: Your lawsuit begins when you file a Writ of Summons against one or more Defendants, who are then served the Writ. You are the Plaintiff; those you have filed against are called the Defendants.

Discovery: In this step, pertinent questions and answers, and document requests are made by the different parties involved.

Plaintiff and Defendent Depositions: An oral examination, also called a Deposition, is conducted under oath by the opposing lawyers for each of the Plaintiff and Defendants.

Expert Witness Depositions: Expert witnesses, the Plaintiff's doctors and other parties also complete a deposition.

Out of Court Settlement: Once the depositions are examined, your case may be settled out of court through an agreement or mediation process.

Trial: If the case is not resolved out of court, your trial date will be set and your case will likely go before a jury. A jury trial can last anywhere from a week to several months.

Appeal: If you and your lawyer do not agree with the jury's decision about the verdict - the degree of liability and / or settlement - and can find cause to appeal the judgment (such as errors made in the trial) you may file a Notice of Appeal within thirty days of the trial.