When a car accident case has to be litigated in court, you might want to prepare yourself for the event. Fortunately, the pretrial process leaves accident victims with plenty of time to get ready to take the stand when the case begins. Before that happens, though, you might be asked to participate in certain actions that are key to your case. Read on to find out more about the level of participation to expect.
Discovery Procedures
To get ready for trial, both sides take part in discovery actions. This process consists of several activities that can take several weeks to complete. Discovery allows both sides (you, the plaintiff, and the other driver's side, the defendants) an opportunity to see the evidence and find out more about the facts of the case. Your personal injury lawyer takes on the burden of complying with most discovery actions, but you may need to make an appearance here and there. Take a look at this list of common car accident discovery actions and what might be expected of you when they happen.
Document Production
Documents now include all sorts of media, from flash drives to emails. In most cases, your lawyer will have the documents the other side requests of you and will make sure the request is valid, complete, and that you comply within the time limit. If your lawyer deems a request for materials inappropriate, an objection may be raised. For instance, many times, your past medical records are requested. This is highly personal information, and often, the reason behind requesting these is to throw doubt on whether or not your injuries are related to the accident. This issue can hold things up while a judge rules.
Deposition
Of all the discovery actions, this one requires the most participation by accident victims. You will be part of this meeting held as preparation for the trial, and it might even be considered good practice for the trial that begins later on. Again, your lawyer will help you prepare, and they will be there when you are questioned under oath. As with all discovery actions, a deposition helps because what is said is used to prepare the case for trial. For example, a deposition might be used to establish what medical treatments you've had so far. Once done, that area of your damages doesn't have to come up at trial.
To learn more about discovery and the part you play, speak to a car accident lawyer.
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