What is the general timetable once a lawsuit is filed and the case goes into litigation?
Depending on the county where the litigation is filed, it will take anywhere from twelve to eighteen months for a case to proceed to trial. In the early stages of litigation, the parties will exchange written questions, called “interrogatories.” After that, the attorney for the at-fault driver may want to take the deposition of the injured person. (And, the injured person’s attorney will take the deposition of the at-fault driver.) A deposition is a face-to-face question and answer session with a court reporter present. The attorney attends the deposition with the client after he or she has met with the client beforehand to make sure the client is fully briefed on what to expect. Following the deposition, the case often goes to mediation, which is explained below.
