Documents Typically Produced in a Jacksonville Personal Injury Case
If you or a loved one is seriously injured in an automobile collision in Jacksonville and you decide to hire a personal injury attorney and file a lawsuit, there will be a period of time known as “discovery.” This is where all parties, along with their counsel, get to ask questions, request documents and depose witnesses with knowledge of the incident to discover pertinent information. This means there are some commonly requested and produced documents you should be aware of when going through the litigation process.
Legal authority for document request or production can be found in Florida Rule of Civil Procedure l .350. This rule states that a party may request that the other party produce and permit the requesting party, or someone acting on their behalf, to inspect and copy relevant documents, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Writings
- Drawings
- Graphs
- Charts
- Photographs
- Phone records
The requested documents must be in the possession, custody, or control of the party that is the subject of the request.
Types of Documents Often Requested and Produced in a Personal Injury Lawsuit
The list below is a general overview of some of the commonly requested and produced documents in a personal injury case in Florida.
- Police report
- Ambulance report
- Your medical records
- Witness statements
- Your personal documentation, including handwritten notes, a journal entry,
- Photographic images of the accident scene
- Photographic images of your bodily injuries
- Yow· employment records, including W-2s and tax filings
- Your financial records, such as out-of-pocket expenses like copays, deductibles and so
Responding to a Request for Production of Documents
If you receive a request for production of documents from the opposing party in your personal injury case, contact your attorney right away. This is because there are important deadlines that must be complied with when issuing a response. For example, according to Rule I.350(b), you are generally required to respond to a document production request within 35 days. ln addition, the producing party is obligated to produce the requested documents as they are maintained in the regular course of business.
Your lawyer has the right to object lo a document request but must provide the legal reasons for the objection.
In addition, according to Florida Rule of Civil Procedure l .280(b)(5), if you, or the opposing party, withhold discoverable information citing an established privilege, the withholding must be made expressly and must describe the nature of the withheld documents or items such that the opposing party, or parties, can assess the applicability of the cited privilege.
Speak to an Experienced Jacksonville Personal Injury Attorney Today
Responding to a request for production of documents, or drafting a set of requests, can get complicated very quickly. You may not know what needs to be responded to or what should be objected to. Gillette Law P.A. is here to help. Contact our office today to schedule a free, confidential case review. Our firm operates on a contingency fee, so we do not get paid unless and until you get paid.
Resource:
Jloridahar.om/wp-contcnl/uploads/2017/08/Civil-Proci:durc-Rulcs-\ Jpdatcd-8-4- 7 0 J 7.pdf
