Interrogatories
Interrogatories
After being involved in an accident, you will most likely have a lot of questions for the other party involved. The encouraging news is that you have the legal ability to get the responses you require from the other parties involved in your lawsuit. You may be able to build a stronger case by gathering crucial information with the assistance of interrogatories.
However, the ways in which you can use an interrogatory are not without some restrictions. In the event that you do receive one, you will also be subject to a few obligations. You will be in a better position to succeed in your case if you are familiar with the nature of interrogatories, their purpose, and the responses that are expected of you when you are served with one.
What is an Interrogatory?
There are a lot of cases that get settled before they go to trial, but if yours does, you’ll want to make sure that you have all of the information you need to win your case or mount a strong defense in the event that it goes to trial.
You can obtain crucial information for the development of your case through the use of a format known as an interrogatory. As a standard practice, both the plaintiffs and the defendants will communicate with one another through the exchange of interrogatories, also known as question lists.
When one side asks another side interrogatory questions, they are trying to find out what kind of claims the other side will make and what kind of evidence the other side will use. The process of discovery also includes the use of interrogatories. When it comes to choosing the questions that you will ask, you will, however, be required to adhere to a few different rules.
What Types of Questions Are Asked During Interrogations?
Generally speaking, interrogatories are free-form questions that ask you to elaborate on certain claims or facts related to the case. They do not provide you with a number of options to select from because they want you to describe the situation and provide as much information as you can. The majority of the time, interrogatories do not even take the form of questions; rather, they are merely a list of subjects to which you are required to respond.
The following are some potential examples of interrogatories in a claim for a car accident:
- State whether you consumed any kind of medication, used any kind of drug, or drank any kind of alcohol in the twenty-four hours leading up to the accident. If this is the case, please provide the names of all of the substances you used, the amounts of those substances that you used, the time at which you used them, and the location from which you obtained them.
- Please provide the names of everyone who has signed a statement in relation to the accident, as well as their addresses both at home and at work, if you are aware of either of these. Include a signed copy of each statement that you’ve attached to your response.
- Specify the specific actions that the defendant (the other driver) ought to have taken that would have averted the collision that resulted in your injuries.
The questions in modern interrogatories typically number in the dozens and cover a wide range of topics, from your name and previous addresses to the precise locations of the wounds on your body and the names of the medical professionals who treated you.
It is possible that responding to an interrogatory will make one feel intimidated due to the level of detail it contains. Your attorney will take you step by step through the entire list and will have a devoted team to assist in putting together all of the answers.
How Many Interrogatories Are Allowed?
In the state of Georgia, a plaintiff is permitted to provide a defendant with up to fifty interrogatories, each of which may include subparts of the questions being asked. Your attorney will be submitting their own interrogatories to the opposing party, which will assist in building the most compelling case possible.
How Do You Respond to Interrogatories?
You have thirty days to respond to any and all interrogatories that you may receive. If a defendant is served with interrogatories at the same time that they are served with a complaint, then that defendant has forty-five days to respond to the interrogatories. The amount of time that someone has to respond to the questions may be extended by the court at their discretion.
Under penalty of perjury, each and every response to the interrogatory must be provided in written form. Objections to questions may be voiced, but they are required to provide supporting evidence. Every answer must also be signed by the individual who is providing it, and any objections must be signed by an attorney.
What is the Purpose of an Interrogation?
The use of interrogatories keeps the case open and equitable for all parties. They pinpoint precisely which facts are in contention. For instance, it is very different from when they think you were also driving drunk if they claim you hit them because you were speeding but acknowledge that you were sober. An interrogatory gives you the opportunity to address the particular facts in dispute and stops the other party from later revising their account and leveling new accusations.
Contact a Georgia Personal Injury Attorney
When you’re involved in an accident due to someone else’s negligence, you will need the help of an attorney when it comes to filing a claim and obtaining compensation.
The legal process can be quite complex, especially when the other party is trying to deny your claim or place the blame for the accident on you.
Having an attorney to help defend you is the best chance you have of succeeding.
The Brown Firm provides free consultations to all accident victims. Call 800-529-1441 today to make an appointment.
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