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It is possible for car wrecks to have multiple negligent parties. When there are multiple defendants in a car collision, the litigation proceeds in the same manner as if there was only one defendant. The plaintiff will begin with their opening statement and each defendant is allowed to give their opening statements. After the plaintiff rests their case, each defendant gets to present evidence. Then the plaintiff will present their closing argument followed by the closing argument for each defendant. If you are filing a claim against numerous negligent parties, you may want to consult a determined car crash lawyer who is experienced in Oak Lawn accident litigation with multiple defendants.
Oak Lawn car accident litigation with multiple defendants might influence the outcome of a case because of the trial strategy the lawyer may use. Although the order of the case does not change much when there are multiple defendants, more than one defendant impacts trial strategy. Often multiple defendants place the blame on each other rather than the plaintiff. Other times, a plaintiff may choose to place a majority of the blame on one particular defendant for strategic reasons. The amount of insurance coverage for each defendant may impact trial strategy. Other times, all defendants present a united front against the plaintiff. In such circumstances, it may be wise to settle with one defendant and allow the trial to proceed against the remaining defendants.
When multiple defendants are on the stand, they have the same rights as if they were the sole defendant. Each defendant has the right to an opening statement and closing argument as well as the right to present their own evidence for their case. Generally, each defendant will also have their own lawyer.
A car accident lawyer presents their arguments to multiple defendants strategically. When a jury trial has multiple defendants, a trial lawyer has many decisions to make. The facts of each case dictate the arguments a lawyer makes. Every case is different, therefore, an attorney must develop arguments which apply to each case they handle. A lawyer may argue multiple defendants are to blame or place the blame primarily on one defendant. While the amount of damages to the plaintiff does not change in a multi-defendant case, the allocation of fault is unique in every one of them.
Oak Lawn car accident litigation with multiple defendants can be more complex and difficult to handle. However, a plaintiff’s lawyer can navigate through these difficulties during the trial with a combination of experience, skill, and common sense. A jury trial of a car accident case is a complicated process. The more at stake, the more experience you want your attorney to have. A trial lawyer may not become comfortable handling trials until they have handled 20 or more of them. This is why you need to contact an accomplished lawyer if you have been involved in a car collision.