The wheels of justice move slowly, but an experienced Personal Injury attorney should be able to explain to his clients which station the case has arrived at. Cases in New York State Supreme Court are guided through the system by a set rules that streamline how a case proceeds.
The process begins after the filing of your lawsuit. The injured person (the plaintiff) serves (or delivers) the Complaint (which is the document that starts a lawsuit). The other person (the defendant) then serves the plaintiff with an “Answer” (a response to the Complaint). At that time, the plaintiff then prepares a “Bill of particulars” (which is a legal document that explains, in detail, the “particulars” of your case (e.g., the specific injuries, time lost from work, amount of expenses you have suffered, etc).
After that juncture, the attorneys fro both sides must attend a Preliminary Conference. At this conference, the judge outlines the path of case, including the assignment of dates to do depositions, medical examinations by a doctor chosen by the defendants, etc. This is the map by which lawyers can navigate towards trial.
Clients who have been injured in any type of accident and who have suffered a loss of income and pain & suffering have the right to know how their lawsuit will proceed. Although it may be difficult to give an EXACT time frame, a good lawyer will be able to advise the client of the steps that the case will take.