White and Williams LLP

Parts of Your Pennsylvania Injury Claim: The Complaint

There are many steps involved in the filing of a Pennsylvania personal injury claim, and the complaint is the document that gets the ball rolling. Ideally, you will be working with a Philadelphia personal injury lawyer who can handle this very important first step for you, to make sure that you include all pertinent details to advance your case.

A number of elements may be listed in the complaint in your Pennsylvania personal injury claim, including:

• Brief introduction - an example would be " ... Comes now the Plaintiff, John Smith, by and through his attorney, and for his cause of action against the Defendant, Acme Automotive and Brake Repair, complains and alleges the following ..."
• Parties - naming the parties and their residential addresses shows the court whether it truly has jurisdiction over the parties.
• Venue and jurisdiction - this lists the statutes that give the court authority (jurisdiction) over the case and establishes that the chosen courthouse (venue) is the correct courthouse.
• Statement of facts and allegations - this is the meat and potatoes portion of your complaint in a Pennsylvania personal injury claim. Here, you explain what happened.

It may look something like this:

• o "... Mr. Smith was driving his car, which recently had brake repair work from Acme Automotive and Brake Repair ..."
• o " ... Mr. Smith was driving on Main Street when he approached a busy intersection where he had a red light. He depressed the brake pedal well before reaching the intersection ..."
• o " ... Instead of stopping, Mr. Smith experienced an immediate loss of brake pressure and the car continued into the intersection, where it was struck by an oncoming vehicle."

• Cause of action - this section explains the defendant's duty, how that duty was breached, how the breach of duty caused harm and the actual harm that was caused.
•  Damages - here, you tell what you are requesting (compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, future lost wages, etc.).

The complaint for your Pennsylvania personal injury claim must follow specific court guidelines. A Philadelphia personal injury lawyer will work with you to make sure that all Is are dotted and Ts crossed to avoid any delays in your Pennsylvania personal injury claim.

Contacting a Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyer

If you have been severely injured in a Philadelphia accident, you shouldn't have to suffer and pay for expensive medical bills that were caused by another person's negligence. Contact a Philadelphia personal injury lawyer at White & Williams LLP today. We will provide a no-cost, no-obligation consultation on your case - 877-944-8396.