Your Experience With Tremont Sheldon P.C.: An Overview

Our attorneys and team members at Tremont Sheldon P.C. are transparent, compassionate and accomplished. We are a client-focused firm. Beginning with the first office visit, phone conference or video meeting, our lawyers treat each person with understanding and compassion, and they give each case the individual attention it deserves.

Your initial consultation is free of charge, and you are not obligated to retain us. If, at the conclusion of our initial meeting, you feel comfortable with our attorneys and would like one of them to represent you, then you will be asked to sign certain paperwork, which will enable them to act as your legal representative throughout the course of your case. During the entire process, you do not pay us; we are only paid when your case is resolved.

The information that you provide our lawyers is strictly confidential, and from the moment one of them takes on your case, they will begin preparing for your trial. Many cases settle before trial, but our attorneys believe in being prepared and knowing our clients and their cases. This preparation gives them a competitive advantage.

General Outline Of A Personal Injury Case

Below is an example of a timeline of a case. Each case is unique, so this is just an example. Timing of cases can take months to years, and your individual attorney will discuss your personal timeline.

In the beginning, we will be gathering information for two parts of your case:

1. The first is to prove fault or responsibility against the person/entity that is believed to have caused the problem.

2. The second is to prove what happened to you both physically and emotionally because of someone else’s carelessness.

If your case is filed in court (sometimes cases settle before then), we will begin the “discovery phase,” where both sides gather information from each other. In this phase, you may have to:

• Answer “interrogatories,” which are legal questions to be reviewed with your attorney
• Provide sworn testimony in a deposition
• Attend a pretrial hearing to discuss your case

If your case goes to trial, you will receive at least several months’ notice regarding your potential trial date. In the weeks before your trial and especially during the trial, you will be meeting your attorney to prepare for the trial.

Once your case is resolved by trial or other means, it is referred to as a settlement. Following your settlement, there are additional steps:

• After a settlement is reached, you will be required to sign a Release of All Claims, which means that you can no longer pursue a claim against the defendant.
• After the documents are signed, the insurance company has 30 days to provide us with the settlement check.
• Soon afterward, you will receive your check and settlement statement explaining the details of disbursements paid in your case.

Settlements for most personal injury cases are tax-free. At Tremont Sheldon P.C., we never stop working for you – we support you from the time you schedule your initial consultation until your case goes to trial or the last paper is signed in your settlement agreement.

Ways We Resolve Your Case

Clients often ask us how we resolve accident cases and how long the process takes. As a general rule, if you are injured in an accident in Connecticut, you have to file your case in court within two years. Otherwise, you lose your right to sue the party who was responsible for causing your injuries.

We generally are able to resolve most cases for our clients, by way of settlement or trial, within one to two years from the time that we filed suit in court. There are other ways to resolve cases for our clients as well.

One alternate method of dispute resolution is called mediation. This is a non-binding process.  It is generally conducted by a single mediator who is jointly agreed upon by the parties. The mediator does not judge the case. Rather, the mediator facilitates discussion between the parties about the strengths and weaknesses of their respective positions and attempts to bring the parties together.

A second alternative method is called arbitration.  This is typically a binding process. It is generally conducted by a single arbitrator who is jointly selected by the parties. The arbitrator acts like a judge. He or she listens to testimony, reviews documentary evidence such as police reports, medical records and bills, and photographs, makes rulings on evidence, and issues a written decision.

In our experience, mediation or arbitration are both excellent ways to resolve personal injury cases. We have utilized both methods for many of our clients, who have found them to produce desirable outcomes in less time and without the added cost and stress of going to court.

Call Us Today For A Free Consultation

We offer no-obligation initial consultations and case evaluations. At this appointment, our lawyers will listen to your story so that they can better understand the facts and circumstances of your case. They will also be able to tell you more about how they can help you and answer any questions you may have. Call us at 203-212-9075 or send us an email through our website to schedule your free appointment today.