What Is The “Discovery Phase” of an Indiana Personal Injury Lawsuit?
The discovery phase of an Indiana personal injury lawsuit is the process in which your Indianapolis personal injury lawyer and the lawyer for the other side will exchange information about the case. The main purpose of the discovery phase is to avoid surprises regarding factual information during trial.
The discovery phase is also used to:
- Preserve evidence gathered from witnesses who may not be able to attend trial
- Help attorneys decide which issues need to be argued
Discovery Phase of an Indiana Personal Injury Lawsuit
The discovery phase, which occurs before trial, generally includes the following:
- Interrogatories – a witness will be given written questions to answer under oath. The answers must be returned by a deadline, which is usually 30 days, and can be used as evidence during trial.
- Depositions – sworn testimony will be taken out of court through oral questioning. This testimony is documented in writing by a stenographer. The attorneys for each side will be able to question the witness who is being deposed.
- Request for admissions – a written set of statements can be given to a witness or either party in a lawsuit, who must admit or deny the statements. For example, the statement might be: Admit or deny you were fatigued when driving home after working a 12-hour shift.
- Request for production – each side can request documents or other items from the opposing side.
An Indianapolis personal injury lawyer can help you file a personal injury lawsuit and give you a more thorough explanation of the discovery phase.
A Helping Hand from an Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyer
When you have complications with your car accident claim, an Indianapolis personal injury attorney can help you alleviate some of the stress and anxiety associated with filing a claim. In order to get back on track with your car accident claim, download a copy of our complimentary book, Consumer’s Guide for Injured Victims, then contact a car accident attorney at Hensley Legal Group for a no-cost consultation at (317) 472-3333.