Documents an Injured Person Can Be Required to Provide to the Defendants Attorney

By Kenneth Vercammen An injured person and their attorney must answer Court Rule Interrogatory Questions Form A, plus supplemental questions propounded by the attorney for the defendant. The injured person is also required to provide photocopies of documents
The Court Rules require plaintiffs provide answers. If answers are not provided your case will be dismissed. Kenneth Vercammen's Law Office is sometimes hired by insurance companies to defend personal injury complaints. The following are some of the Request for documents we request from the plaintiff in a personal injury case.
REQUEST FOR PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS - CAR ACCIDENT TO PLAINTIFF
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Plaintiff demands that the defendant produce for inspection and copying pursuant to Rule 4: 18-1, the following documents at the offices of Kenneth A. Vercammen, Esq., 2053 Woodbridge Avenue, Edison, New Jersey 08817, on ______[30 days from mailing date] at 9:05 a.m.:
RECORDS TO BE PRODUCED
1. All documents relating to the statements of witnesses to the occurrence alleged in your complaint including witnesses who were within sight or hearing of the occurrence or have knowledge from any source as to how it is thought to have occurred. 2. All documents relating to statements of any of the individual parties herein or officers or managing agents of any corporate parties herein. 3. All documents relating to the manner of the occurrence, the events giving rise or leading up to it and the cause thereof, other than any statements of witnesses or parties produced in response to any of the preceding requests. 4. All photographs of the scene of the occurrence. 5. All documents relating to the conditions at the scene of the occurrence (e.g., where appropriate, roadway, surface, weather, construction, traffic signals or signs) at the time of plaintiffs accident. 6. All documents relating to the investigation of the occurrence by or on behalf of any party herein other than those produced in response to any of the preceding requests. 7. All documents relating to the inspection or supervision of activities, if any, at the scene of the occurrence and at the time thereto. 8. All documents relating to complaints to defendant about the premises. 9. All documents in the nature of any expert reports concerning the explanation for or cause of the occurrence. 10. All documents relating to any claims that the Plaintiff sustained financial loss as a result of the occurrence in question, included, but not limited to, W-2 forms and tax returns. 11. All documents relating to the identity of any statute, ordinance or governmental code which it is alleged was violated by any party herein except as already produced in response to any preceding request. 12. Copies of any and all medical reports, bills, summaries, invoices, hospital discharge summaries and any other documents authored by any medical personnel relating to the treatment of the Plaintiff, diagnosis of any injuries and the prognoses of any recovery as a result of this incident. 13. Executed IRS Authorization in the form required by the Federal Government for the five years prior to the date of the incident or certified copies of all IRS tax returns for this period of time. 14. Plaintiffs W-2 forms for the five years prior to the date of the incident. 15. Executed Authorization to obtain personnel records from plaintiffs employer on the date of plaintiffs accident or copies of such personnel records. 16. Executed Authorization to obtain disability records or copies of disability records. 17. Executed Authorization to obtain workers compensation records or copies of such records. 18. Copies of reports of any and all laboratory tests, CT scans, EEGs, EKGs, X-rays and any other tests taken as a result of the injuries allegedly sustained in this accident. 19. All documents relating or referring to prior litigation plaintiff was involved in prior to or after plaintiffs present litigation, including, but not limited to, pleadings, deposition transcripts, interrogatory answers and expert witness reports.
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REQUEST FOR PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS - FALL DOWN TO PLAINTIFF- RECORDS TO BE PRODUCED
1. All documents relating to the statements of witnesses to the occurrence alleged in your complaint including witnesses who were within sight or hearing of the occurrence or have knowledge from any source as to how it is thought to have occurred. 2. All documents relating to statements of any of the individual parties herein or officers or managing agents of any corporate parties herein. 3. All documents relating to the manner of the occurrence, the events giving rise or leading up to it and the cause thereof, other than any statements of witnesses or parties produced in response to any of the preceding requests. 4. All photographs of the scene of the occurrence. 5. All documents relating to the conditions at the scene of the occurrence (e.g., where appropriate, roadway, surface, weather, construction, traffic signals or signs) at the time of plaintiffs fall.
6. All documents relating to the investigation of the occurrence by or on behalf of any party herein other than those produced in response to any of the preceding requests. 7. All documents relating to the inspection or supervision of activities, if any, at the scene of the occurrence and at the time thereto. 8. All documents relating to complaints to defendant about the premises. 9. All documents in the nature of any expert reports concerning the explanation for or cause of the occurrence. 10. All documents relating to any claims that the Plaintiff sustained financial loss as a result of the occurrence in question, included, but not limited to, W-2 forms and tax returns. 11. All documents relating to the identity of any statute, ordinance or governmental code which it is alleged was violated by any party herein except as already produced in response to any preceding request. 12. Copies of any and all medical reports, bills, summaries, invoices, hospital discharge summaries and any other documents authored by any medical personnel relating to the treatment of the Plaintiff, diagnosis of any injuries and the prognoses of any recovery as a result of this incident. 13. Executed IRS Authorization in the form required by the Federal Government for the five years prior to the date of the incident or certified copies of all IRS tax returns for this period of time. 14. Plaintiffs W-2 forms for the five years prior to the date of the incident. 15. Executed Authorization to obtain personnel records from plaintiffs employer on the date of plaintiffs fall or copies of such personnel records. 16. Executed Authorization to obtain disability records or copies of disability records. 17. Executed Authorization to obtain workers compensation records or copies of such records. 18. Copies of reports of any and all laboratory tests, CT scans, EEGs, EKGs, X-rays and any other tests taken as a result of the injuries allegedly sustained in this accident. 19. All documents relating or referring to prior litigation plaintiff was involved in prior to or after plaintiffs present litigation, including, but not limited to, pleadings, deposition transcripts, interrogatory answers and expert witness reports. _____________________
COURT RULE 4:18. DISCOVERY AND INSPECTION OF DOCUMENTS AND PROPERTY, COPIES OF DOCUMENTS
4:18-1. Production of Documents and Things and Entry Upon Land for Inspection and Other Purposes; Pre-Litigation Discovery
(a) Scope. Any party may serve on any other party a request (1) to produce and permit the party making the request, or someone acting on behalf of that party, to inspect and copy any designated documents (including writings, drawings, graphs, charts, photographs, phono-records, and other data compilations from which information can be obtained and translated, if necessary, by the respondent through electronic devices into reasonably usable form), or to inspect and copy, test, or sample any tangible things which constitute or contain matters within the scope of R. 4:10-2 and which are in the possession, custody or control of the party upon whom the request is served; or (2) to permit entry upon designated land or other property in the possession or control of the party upon whom the request is served for the purpose of inspection and measuring, surveying, photographing, testing, or sampling the property or any designated object or operation thereon, within the scope of R. 4:10-2.
(b) Procedure. The request may, without leave of court, be served upon the plaintiff after commencement of the action and upon any other party with or after service of the summons and complaint upon that party. A copy of the request shall also be simultaneously served on all other parties to the action. The request shall set forth the items to be inspected either by individual item or by category, and describe each item and category with reasonable particularity. The request shall specify a reasonable time, place, and manner of making the inspection and performing the related acts. The party upon whom the request is served shall serve a written response within 35 days after the service of the request, except that a defendant may serve a response within 35 days after service of the summons and complaint upon that defendant. On motion, the court may allow a shorter or longer time. The written response, without documentation annexed but which shall be made available to all parties on request, shall be served by the party to whom the request was made upon all other parties to the action. The response shall state, with respect to each item or category, that inspection and related activities will be permitted as requested, unless the request is objected to, in which event the reasons for objection shall be stated. If objection is made to part of an item or category, the part shall be specified. A party who produces documents for inspection shall produce them as they are kept in the usual course of business or shall organize and label them to correspond with the categories in the request. The party submitting the request may move for an order of dismissal or suppression pursuant to R. 4:23-5 with respect to any objection to or other failure to respond to the request or any part thereof or any failure to permit inspection as requested. (c) Persons not Parties. This rule does not preclude an independent action against a person not a party for production of documents and things and permission to enter upon land. Pre-litigation discovery within the scope of this rule may also be sought by petition pursuant to R. 4:11-1.