The discovery process in a car accident case can be confusing

People who have been injured in a car accident in Seattle are likely well aware that they may have a right to be compensated if another person was negligent in causing the crash that led to the injury. To do so, however, the injured party will have to go through the process of filing a civil lawsuit in the proper state court. This means dealing with the multiple requirements and procedures that come with utilizing the legal system. Previous posts here have mentioned some of the elements of negligence that will need to be proven during the case, but there are other facets of a legal proceeding before one even gets to the trial phase.

One of the steps that needs to be navigated on the way to a settlement or trial is called “discovery.” Discovery is a process by which the two sides in a lawsuit gather information about the event in question, as well as about the other party. The purpose behind it is to ensure that neither side can spring surprises at trial, as well as to give both parties access to information they will need to prove or dispute the elements of the “tort,” or wrong, that was allegedly committed.

Discovery usually consists of two major tools, depositions and interrogatories. Depositions are face-to-face meetings at which one party or, more commonly, that party’s representative, asks questions of the other party about various issues relevant to the upcoming case. Interrogatories, on the other hand, are written questions “served” by one party on the other to which they expect written answers. The questions in the discovery process can be fairly broad, though there are some limits to how far afield a deposition or interrogatories can go.

While it is important to tell the truth when answering discovery requests regarding a lawsuit, it is also important to understand how to answer the question that is asked and not begin expanding on explanations and providing an adversary with legal ammunition to oppose your case.

Post Type: Persuasive

Matthew D. Dubin

Matt Dubin has spent more than 20 years honing his skills as one of the top personal injury lawyers in the State of Washington. In his career, Matt has focused on protecting consumers from dangerous household products, medical mistakes, roadway accidents, and many other causes of injury. Matt has recovered nearly $20 million on behalf of his clients.

Education

• License Number: 25378
• University of Washington School of Law, Seattle, Washington – J.D.
• Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut – B.A.

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