The Discovery and Interrogation Process of an Auto Accident

Were you involved in a car accident and are seeking legal counsel? If so, it’s time to begin working with a successful Portland personal injury attorney. At Dawson Law Group we have handled countless car accident personal injury cases and would be honored to go to work for you. Without proper legal representation, the claims process can be especially confusing, especially if a settlement cannot be agreed upon and the case goes to trial. Below we have sought to better explain the pre-trial process.

Discovery

When an amount in restitution cannot be agreed upon the lawsuit will then be forced to go to trial. Before the trial date, the lawsuit will enter into discovery. Discovery is the period before the trial where both sides share information about their respective stances on the case. At any point during discovery, a settlement can be agreed upon. It has been found that the more information is shared about the case between each side the more likely they are to avoid trial and come to a fair settlement.

At Dawson Law Group we highly recommend hiring a Portland personal injury attorney to handle your case, especially if your lawsuit goes to trial. Having a trained lawyer on your side will ensure that you are not taken advantage of and receive the settlement you deserve.

Interrogatories

During discovery, both sides are allowed to send interrogatories to the other. An interrogatory is a list of questions that one side poses to the other. This is often the first form of information sharing in the discovery process. The interrogatory can be no more than 30 to 45 questions. This limit has been set in order to prevent one side from inundating the other with pointless questions in order to prevent them from working on the more important aspects of the case. It is important to note that the answers provided in an interrogatory are considered to be under oath. You are required to answer truthfully or face consequences, both civil and criminal, for perjury.

Most of the questions ask pertain to the facts of the case, however, some can be more personal. Each side has the right to ask about the medical history, and mental health in order to establish if either was a factor in causing an accident. You can also be asked about your marital status, employment history, and finances such as bankruptcy in order to determine the type of person you are. They may seek to show a history of irresponsibility in order to shed doubt on your character. When answering interrogatories consult in depth with your Portland personal injury attorney in order to make sure you share only the information you are required to, while remaining truthful.

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At Dawson Law Group we pride ourselves on standards of quality and excellence. Each member of our firm believes in honest hard work and going above and beyond for our clients. These values are what have made us the success we are today. Call Dawson Law Group and refuse to settle for substandard legal representation in your personal injury claim. Give us a call at503-919-1315 for a free phone consultation where we can get to know you and answer your questions. Remember, we won’t charge you any attorney fees if you don’t win your claim, so it’s in our best interest as well as yours to secure the most favorable outcome for you in a timely manner.