Answer
What is an Answer?
When you submit an answer, it will state which of the claims in your complaint the defendant either confirms or denies. Additionally, it will outline any positive defenses. The defendant may also include a counterclaim in their answer; however, tort lawsuits (injuries) like truck accident cases and slip and fall claims rarely involve this kind of defense.
What Details Are Included in an Answer?
Your petition will contain detailed factual claims in numbered paragraphs that you and your lawyer will lay out when you draft it. Each of those numbers must receive a response from the defendant. Sometimes the response consists solely of denying or admitting the charge. If the defendant agrees with some of the paragraph but not all of it, other further comments may be provided. In some circumstances, they might also wish to provide extra information to support their denial.
An answer typically contains little information since you already know that the party you are suing will refute your claim. If the defendant had agreed with you in every respect, you probably wouldn’t have brought the action. However, the defendant’s response may occasionally be useful in determining precisely which facts the defendant disputes.
What Occurs if the Defendant Chooses Not to Answer?
Defendants have 30 days of service before they are required to answer. Service, however, need not occur on the same day that your complaint was filed. In many instances, you must instead physically deliver your petition and summons to the opposing party. This frequently entails having your legal documents delivered to the defendant in person by a sheriff or other individual designated to serve persons (such as a certified process server). Because it might be challenging to locate a defendant in some situations, they might have far more time to respond after the petition was actually filed.
A defendant can be found liable by default judgment if they are properly served and refuse to answer. You can win if the defendant effectively admits all of your accusations by choosing to remain silent.
After an accident, you can ask for a default judgment that awards you monetary damages to cover your losses. Even though this procedure may appear straightforward, it can be challenging because you may need to convince the judge of the damages you are entitled to and then proceed to collect them. You can get assistance from an experienced attorney to navigate this process.
Get Legal Help
Has an accident caused injuries to you or a loved one? Are you considering filing a lawsuit? It’s a good idea to discuss your possibilities with an accomplished lawyer.
The best way to get the compensation you deserve is to hire an experienced attorney for legal help.
Ready to Talk to a Lawyer Who Has Your Back?
Contact The Brown Firm
Get the Answers and Compensation You Deserve
You’ll notice the difference when you contact The Brown Firm! Our local dedicated attorneys want to help you recover and rebuild.
Schedule your free consultation by calling (800) 529-1441 or completing our simple online form.