By Farhan Naqvi, Personal Injury Lawyer in Las Vegas
Let’s imagine you hired a personal injury attorney and just filed a lawsuit in Clark County. The next step in the process is the discovery phase of your case. But what exactly does that involve?
Generally speaking, there are three basic components of the discovery process which are utilized by both the plaintiff and the defendant.
Written interrogatories. These are lists of specific questions that your attorney will prepare for the defendants and/or witnesses in the case. Some of these will ask for generic information, while others may be written especially for this case. You will likely be required to answer written interrogatories submitted by the defense as well.
Document production. This is where both sides acquire all of the documentation necessary to prove their case. These documents range from medical bills to police reports and from internal e-mails to witness statements. Your attorney may request specific documents from the defense and vice-versa.
Depositions. This gives your attorney the opportunity to interview defendants and witnesses face-to-face on the record. Your lawyer will probably refer to the answers to the written interrogatories, but may also explore other topics and lines of questioning as well. Similarly, defense lawyers will likely depose you in the same manner.
The most important thing to remember about the discovery process is to be honest. Your attorney can’t advocate for you effectively if he or she does not know all the facts. And being dishonest or untruthful in the answers to the interrogatories or during a deposition can cast doubts upon your credibility if the case goes to trial.
If you have any questions about the discovery process, your attorney will be able to answer them for you.
About the Editor: Farhan R. Naqvi is a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer who has experience representing victims injured in car accidents, drunk driver crashes, truck wrecks, slip and falls, taxi cab accidents, and bicycle crashes. He also has experience handling spine injury, product liability, underinsured/uninsured driver, and wrongful death cases. If you’ve been seriously hurt in an accident in Summerlin, North Las Vegas, Clark County, Henderson, Boulder City, Green Valley, or Pahrump, give Farhan a call at 702-553-1000 for a free, no-hassle consultation.