If you cannot resolve a slip-and-fall injury case out of court, the plaintiff might well be required to bring a personal injury suit in civil court. If this occurs, the parties to the litigation — that is, the complainant (the injured individual) and the defendant (often the premises owner) — will disclose information about the incident and crucial components of the complainant’s claim in a procedure known as “discovery.”
The issuance of interrogatories from one side to the other is a key discovery tool. Interrogatories are written queries, which must be answered honestly, in writing, and under oath by the receiving party (“under penalty of perjury,” in Georgia).
Slip-and-Fall Interrogatories To Defendant
The primary concern in a slip-and-fall claim is generally if the premises owner — or the person or organization responsible for overseeing the premises — did not make sensible efforts to avoid the plaintiff’s mishap. The complainant must typically show that the defendant’s carelessness attributed or led to the slip and fall to win the lawsuit.
Thus, besides determining the primary facts and establishing relevant evidence and witnesses, slip-and-fall interrogatories to the defendant by the plaintiff will focus on spotting any action or missed action on the premises owner- or their agents- that might sum up to negligence. Some of the interrogatories, which a plaintiff can send to the defendant in these kinds of cases include:
- Have there been any other slip-and-fall accidents in the area of this accident in the last five years, aside from the incident at the center of this civil suit? If yes, please indicate the date, names of the people involved, nature of the situation, and any litigation information (if any) for such events.
- Please indicate any insurance plans, which may recoup losses incurred as a result of the accident.
- Please give out the full name, address, title, and contact information of any employee inside the building or surrounding area at the time of the occurrence.
- Do you have any videos, images, diagrams, or sketches related to this incident? If so, please describe the item’s nature as well as its present location and/or steward.
- When was the last floor area in which the accident happened scrubbed or disinfected before this accident? Please specify an estimated day and time, as well as the name(s) of the person(s) in charge of such maintenance.
- Please specify any caution, warning, “slippery floor,” or other pertinent notices posted in the location in which the accident happened, particularly their size, text, and precise placement.
- Please provide the information about the flooring surface where the incident happened: material/type, date of installation, and identity of installation entity.
Contact an Experienced Attorney
The laws governing interrogatories differ based on whether the suit is being addressed in state or federal court. Nevertheless, because every court restricts the number of interrogatories you can submit, every incorporated query must be crafted appropriately and analyzed for relevancy and value.
A knowledgeable personal injury attorney is ideally suited to design and reply to interrogatories in a slip-and-fall lawsuit. Contact Ponton Law to speak to an Atlanta slip and fall attorney about your case today.