4 Stages Of Discovery In A Car Accident Case

Being involved in a collision is sure to cause you a number of problems. You may suffer financial losses that are a direct result of your accident. The most effective way to help you recover from these unexpected losses may be by taking legal action. It's important to meet with know what to expect during the process of civil litigation and especially during the discovery stage:

What is the Discovery Stage?

Once a lawsuit has been filed, the plaintiff and defendant will need to prove who is right in the case. This will involve providing all the details of what happened during the accident. There are four stages to the discovery stage and this includes the written interrogatories, deposition, requests for admissions and request for production documents.

Written Interrogatories

You may be served with a series of questions that you must answer. This will typically include no more than 25 questions and the answer you provide should be accurate and detailed.

All of these questions should have something to do with your case and may used in court if the case goes to this level.

Deposition

It may be necessary for you to meet with the opposing attorney and respond to any inquiries that you may be asked. This is referred to as a deposition and listed below are some things you should know about this meeting:

1. There will be a court reporter present who will transcribe the meeting.

2.  You will be asked to be sworn in under oath.

3.  It's critical to your case only to provide truthful statements.

Request for Admissions

It's likely you will be served with several statements regarding your case, and you will be asked to either admit or deny these. The reason for this part of discovery is to get the full details about the accident because doing so could help shorten the amount of time a case requires in court.

Request for Production Documents

The time to prove the amount of money you're owed because of the accident or who's at fault for it occurring is during this stage. Below are documents you should present to help do so:

1.  The cost of repairing you vehicle or getting a new one.

2.  A police report if one was created showing the other driver was the cause of the accident.

3.  A summary of all your medical bills to help achieve your full recovery.

Being able to win your case may be based on the details that you provide during the discovery stage. Be sure to consult with your car accident lawyer for all the advice you need to help you build a strong case. To learn more, contact a company like Klafter & Mason LLC with any questions or concerns you have.