You will go through the discovery process as your personal injury continues, and this process is crucial to developing a strong claim. Your attorney will gather information during discovery that will be used to help prove your claim and help you obtain the compensation you deserve. 

Our Houston personal injury lawyers at West Loop Law and the Law Office of Nhan Nguyen, MD, JD will help you understand the discovery process and how it relates to your case. If you were injured due to another’s negligence, you can set up a no-obligation consultation today to see if you have a valid claim and are entitled to compensation. 

What Is Discovery?

Before your case goes to trial, the discovery process will start. It usually begins after the defendant’s lawyer has served a response to your allegations. The discovery process is when information is gathered from the opposing side that is used as evidence. The legal team of the defendant will also perform discovery and gather evidence to build their own defense. 

Why Is the Discovery Process Important?

At the start of a case, it is rare that all relevant information is readily available. Discovery allows your lawyer to obtain additional evidence that may be missing. 

Discovery can help level the playing field and provide both sides with access to details known by the other side. Full and complete disclosure is favored by discovery laws, and discovery helps to avoid any unfair advantage at trial due to the withholding of key evidence. 

This information is important to help your lawyer create a strategy to fight for your claim in court, and the information obtained during evidence can provide your lawyer with greater insight into the strengths and weaknesses of your case and what may be used against you. 

The Basics of Discovery

There are laws that set the rules of the discovery process, and in Texas, these rules can be fairly broad, covering what kinds of information can be pursed and what information is protected from discovery. 

What Can Be Discovered

Discovery allows all involved parties in a lawsuit to gather information relating to the case, except for protected information. Your Houston car wreck attorney will work to prevent the defense from unnecessarily digging into issues unrelated to the case. 

Discovery may be conducted through the following methods:

• Deposition. an in-person interview that is under oath
• Interrogatories. written questions that must be answered under oath
• Requests for production. allowing access to documents

In discovery, your lawyer may seek the following information:

• Witness accounts of the incident resulting in your injuries
• The identity of potential witnesses with knowledge of your injuries or damages
• Information about what was said by parties at a specific date and time, like a meeting related to your case
• Details related to the background of a witness
• Documents relevant to your case

Limitations on Discovery

Certain types of information are protected and cannot be sought during discovery. Any communication between parties in certain relationships are privileged, and no one can be made to share information exchanged confidentially. Privileged relationships that are exempt from discovery include: 

• Spouses
• Lawyer and client
• Doctor and patient
• Religious advisor and advisee

Houston Personal Injury Lawyers

After being injured in a car accident, you need the help of a Houston car crash lawyer to help you make the right choices and secure the compensation you need and deserve. The team of personal injury lawyers at the West Loop Law and the Law Office of Nhan Nguyen, MD, JD will fight for your best interests. We treat every case with equal importance, and we focus on getting the effective results our clients deserve. Contact our law offices today at 713-840-7200 to discuss your case with a lawyer who cares.