FAQs About Interrogatories In Car Accident Lawsuits

When negotiations break down with an insurance company following a car accident, you can choose to file a lawsuit. Part of the process of suing the insurance company and responsible driver is crafting an interrogatory. The interrogatory can play a crucial part in how you shape your case. If you are planning to file a lawsuit, here is what you need to know about an interrogatory.  

What Is an Interrogatory?

An interrogatory is a way for you to garner information from the insurance company and the driver responsible for the accident. It consists of a list of questions that the other party has to answer. Since it is considered to be part of the discovery process, the court can take action if the defendant in your case does not respond within a specified period of time.  

The interrogatory is often one of the first contacts you will have with the defendant, or insurance company and the driver, following the filing of your lawsuit. It can provide you with important information that you can use to shape your case. Therefore, it is important that you craft the right questions to ask.  

How Is an Interrogatory Created?

To determine which questions are most important to your case, you need to draft an outline of the events leading to and following your accident. Once you have an outline, you can begin to examine each aspect of the case to determine what information you need to flush out your case.  

One of the goals of an interrogatory is to expose weaknesses in the defense strategy of the insurance company and the other driver. The interrogatory can also be used to determine if there is any background information about the driver that you can use to paint him or her in an unflattering light.  

For instance, you can ask about the driver's citation history. If the driver has a history of running red lights or speeding, you could argue that he or she has pattern of driving recklessly, which was a contributing factor to your accident.  

Due to the complex nature of crafting an interrogatory, consider working with an experienced car accident attorney. He or she can help with drafting the outline of events and help you pinpoint areas that you should focus on in your questioning. The attorney can even help you take action if the defendant fails to respond to your request for information.

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