January 3

What is the Discovery Process?

What Is Discovery?

After the filing of a lawsuit, discovery is the formal process for attorneys and clients to gather important information about a pending case. This process allows the parties to learn what information the other party has. It also helps reveal necessary evidence that can ultimately lead to impactful proof in your case. This process is designed to help attorneys prepare for the case and avoid surprises.

Why Is Discovery Important To Your Case?

Discovery helps your Pasadena personal injury attorney prepare for the case and gather vital information to support it. Information discovered could later be used against the other party or to aid either side as it attempts to settle.

Tool Used in Discovery Process

The written discovery process includes sending written questions to the other side in the form of interrogatories, requests for documents, and requests for admissions.

Interrogatories

These provide a straightforward way for attorneys to gather important information about the case. During this stage, one party provides written questions to the other party, who must answer each question fully and to the best of their knowledge under oath. Everyday things that are asked in interrogatories include:

  •  Contact information
  •  Insurance coverage information and limits
  •  Identity of any expert witnesses who will be called in the case
  •  Identity of other witnesses who will be called in the case
  •  Explanation of how the accident occurred
  •  Identification of other parties who may share responsibility in the case
  •  Identification of evidence that will be used in the case
  •  Information about medical treatment received, lost wages, and further claimed losses

Generally, new information becomes available after the answers are submitted.

Request For Documents

This part of the discovery process is when actual documentary evidence is provided to the other parties. Generally, a party may respond to these requests by objecting to them, providing copies of the documents, or allowing the other party to review them and make copies. Requested documents may include:

  •  Medical records, doctor’s notes, and other treatment records
  •  Medical bills
  •  Employment records indicating time lost from work
  •  Damage reports
  •  Pictures or video of the accident scene and injuries
  •  Police or accident reports

Request For Admissions

Requests for admissions present a series of allegations to the other party and asks the party to admit or deny each one. This helps narrow the issues involved in a case so that the attorney can save time on things that are not contested. If a party admits specific facts, the admission can be introduced as fact during the trial without having to prove anything.

Depositions

Another component of the discovery process are depositions.  A deposition is a recorded question-and-answer session with one of the parties involved in the case or a potential witness. The person answering the deposition must answer the questions under oath. A court reporter records the questions and answers, it may also be recorded on video.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident or due to the consequence of someone else’s negligence, don’t wait to find the best personal injury lawyer for you. The earlier you can get in touch with a lawyer, the better, as you’ll recall the sequence of events better while they’re still fresh in your memory. A lawyer can also help you compile the necessary paperwork and launch a formal investigation while you concentrate on healing.

It is crucial to ensure your search for the best attorney is completed on time. Our Pasadena personal injury attorneys at Grigoryan Blum & Grigoryan are experts in tort law and know how to win your case. We will fiercely fight to defend you and your rights. Contact us today!

Click here for our complete guide to hiring a personal injury lawyer.


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Grigoryan Blum & Grigoryan
30 North Raymond Avenue, Suite #514
Pasadena, CA 91103
United States