We are an independent branch of government constitutionally entrusted with the fair and just resolution of disputes in order to preserve the rule of law and to protect the rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States and this State. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); C1700 MARKET STREET SUITE 1005 PHILADELPHIA, PA APractice Note discussing the structure and content of interrogatories under New Jersey Court Rules 4:17-1 through 4:17-8 for a civil lawsuit pending in the New Jersey Superior Court, Law Division, Civil Part or Chancery Division, General Equity Part. %PDF-1.6 % The service of interrogatories shall not stay the time for service of an answering pleading. x H7r'q0I The litigation process in personal injury cases can be lengthy, due in part to the stage of litigation known as the discovery phase. Except as otherwise provided in subparagraph (b)(3) of this rule, every question propounded by a uniform interrogatory must be answered unless the court has otherwise ordered. Defendants typically do not rely solely on your statement of injuries and will often request the names and contact information for doctors and any other treatment providers who assisted in your care at any point after the initial injury. endstream endobj 582 0 obj <>stream Objections made thereafter shall not be entertained by the court. (a) Use. Interrogatories are a series of written questions submitted by one party in a lawsuit to the opposing party. ?>. If the interrogatory requests the name of an expert or treating physician of the answering party or a copy of the expert's or treating physician's report, the party shall comply with the requirements of paragraph (e) of this rule. Hon. After the sanction was ordered, it was the . h247W0Pw/+QL)60)@H0i&-!!Cs0ed bC*RS { case has been accepted. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as When the answer to an interrogatory may be derived or ascertained from or requires annexation of copies of the business records of the party on whom the interrogatory has been served or from an examination, audit or inspection of such business records, or from a compilation abstract or summary based thereon, or from electronically stored information, and the burden of deriving or ascertaining the answer is substantially the same for the party serving the interrogatory as for the party served, it is a sufficient answer to such interrogatory to specify the records from which the answer may be derived or ascertained and to afford to the party serving the interrogatory reasonable opportunity to examine, audit or inspect such records and to make copies, compilations, abstracts or summaries. H_k01"hN|:=F87l&97vzHgj5:es$Ny ]6^j3lWC;% .V/(fB oEl$RQ=X~C%nLe. xlZ6yY #~m(nU0^: . The questions must relate to a request for factual information rather than a legal analysis or conclusions. The purpose of these questions is to allow the opposing parties to gain more insight into the details of the accident and associated injuries. Call (609) 528-2596 or (215) This Note includes tips for drafting the definitions, instructions, and interrogatories and explains how to properly serve interrogatories and . A specification shall be in sufficient detail to permit the interrogating party to locate and to identify, as readily as can the party served, the records from which the answer may be ascertained. (4) Obligation to Answer Every Question. F]+(t8'o-TMHdpSv4+4&-{Tc0N~Wbz%RDS[q,!GkQsC? Gregory B. Pasquale, Esq. All questions must be answered unless the court otherwise orders or unless a claim of privilege or protective order is made in accordance with . 19103. xc```f``g`a`bg@ ~r, sT E0mpl*faP0JTMe8m94AO CB5Fl 1. The nature of these questions will vary depending on the facts of the case, but your lawyer may ask about the defendants activities that day, distractions in the vehicle, and health conditions that may have contributed to their behavior or reaction time. We are an independent branch of government constitutionally entrusted with the fair and just resolution of disputes in order to preserve the rule of law and to protect the rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States and this State. {W)dTx^'&{6kB u4E7N(dwQ(c:@9z|Wzb E~ ) Except as otherwise provided in this rule, interrogatories shall be answered in writing under oath by the party upon whom served, if an individual, or, if a public or private corporation, a partnership or association, or governmental agency, by an officer or agent who shall furnish all information available to the party. If the accident or occurrence took place on or about any particular premises, area . Nj Form C Interrogatories Form Rating. 580 0 obj <>stream However, there are limitations on the number of interrogatories that can be sent by either party. R. 4:17-1(b)(3 . The party may seek an extension for good cause or what can be described as a sufficient legal reason. Rule 4:17-3. XXIX-D. Arbitrator/Umpire Disclosure Form XXX. 7. However, the court rules specifically permit either party to include an additional 10 supplemental interrogatories that seek any additional information that either party may have as it relates to the subject matter of the personal injury lawsuit. Asbury Park, New Jersey 07712, time to file a personal injury lawsuit in New Jersey, Top Elements Contributing to Rollover Accidents, Recent WARN Act Amendments and Their Consequences in NJ, Hazards Associated with the Use of Heavy Machinery, The Ramifications of Blunt Force Trauma Injuries, Risk Exposure in Distracted Walking Cases. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The experienced lawyers you can trust. 176 0 obj <]>>stream free Discovery: A procedure designed to allow disclosure of information between Plaintiffs and Defendants. This information and other forms of evidence, such as photographs or statements that were made in conjunction with the accident, will all be compiled and exchanged during the discovery phase. clients for over 40 years. You can only change an answer to an interrogatory if you obtain new information that renders the original answer incomplete or inaccurate. Interrogatories may, without leave of court, be served upon the plaintiff or answers demanded pursuant to R. 4:17-1(b) after commencement of the action and served upon or demanded from any other party with or after service of the summons and complaint upon that party. endstream endobj Our New Jersey personal injury lawyers represent individuals throughout Monmouth County, Middlesex County, Ocean County, Essex County, and other New Jersey counties who have been injured as a result of negligence. %PDF-1.5 % 1: Please review your answers to interrogatories previously served on YOU (YOU includes you, your agents, your employees, your insurance companies, their agents, their employees, your 3attorneys, your accountants, your investigators and anyone else acting on your behalf) in this action. We invite you to What if I do not know who caused my accident? previous. In addition to the interrogatories provided in the applicable form for the plaintiff or defendant of a personal injury claim, each party may present 10 additional interrogatories, called supplemental interrogatories, without obtaining permission from the court, but the questions may not contain any subparts. Interrogatories To Parties"; Any additional interrogatories shall be permitted only by the court in its discretion on motion. Interrogatories shall not be marked into evidence without good cause. @G=A#J=k|o d.P%tQ 3)k+hHw xPBp)0bdo#Ft00|I@3H&r_+yh(`=rjduh'26}5 \X^p2|,P=oOhe>f}[dlPW%wbnK^P],]SQyj]t' K*BMo`Y-T]mG}niWw"+|-=g}kr4$sZum7hG; K(YSR-qk:);=m:BizAf,.. endstream endobj 167 0 obj <>stream MISSION STATEMENT. If you're using a VPN server, please make sure you're using a US Based VPN Server, or disable it to access our site temporarily. N.J.R. In personal injury lawsuits in New Jersey, either party often seeks information through interrogatories and the supplemental interrogatories about the damages that the plaintiff has alleged or the defendant's knowledge of the defect or unsafe condition that caused harm to the plaintiff. SUPPLEMENTAL INTERROGATORY NO. endstream endobj 168 0 obj <>stream In support of these representations, you will be required to provide detailed information of any diagnostic tests with a copy of results and records of all treatment for injuries, as well as reports from testifying health care providers. In New Jersey, the court has designated that certain forms of interrogatories be utilized in personal injury legal matters. . F$&IYbV\`7b=8q{O_I,*dls] Personal injury interrogatories are often requested and completed as part of various forms of discovery that is conducted during the litigation process. In all actions seeking recovery for property damage to automobiles and in all personal injury cases other than wrongful death, toxic torts, cases involving issues of professional malpractice other than medical malpractice, and those products liability cases either involving pharmaceuticals or giving rise to a toxic tort claim, the parties shall be limited to the interrogatories prescribed by Forms A, B and C of Appendix II, as appropriate, provided, however, that each party may propound ten supplemental questions, without subparts, without leave of court. Plea-05 Supplemental Plea Form for Certain Sexual Offenses (Megan's Law/Parole Supervision for Life/Community Supervision for Life) CN: 10080. These supplemental interrogatories may relate to your activities on the day of the accident, preexisting health conditions, your current physical limitations, and more. N.J.R. If you're a paid subscriber and still having difficulty, please contact our support desk with your IPv4 address so we can investigate. State the names and addresses of any and all proposed expert witnesses. The questions are designed to obtain more information about your case. The links on this site contain[s] information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These questions and their answers are always written, not oral. In all actions commenced prior to September 5, 2000, however, answers to uniform interrogatories shall be demanded by letter of demand served upon all adverse parties within the time prescribed by R. 4:17-2, and answers shall be served within the time prescribed by R. 4:17-4(b). Make your practice more effective and efficient with Casetexts legal research suite. (b) Service of Answers; Time; Enlargement of Time. Interrogatories, at their core, are just questions from the judgment creditor. INTERROGATORY FORMS . _VHAG)G83 337-4915 a.|3#H];54.h4a[ J[F(~Skof,yx`*Vd4oMZ5Y{u7j?!&dG}:lK_a-ZLc_B2WgU k|h/{ON+S;.\ sI The interrogatories shall be so arranged that after each separate question shall appear a blank space reasonably calculated to enable the answering party to have the answer typed in. include("includer.php"); Like plaintiffs, defendants in a personal injury claim in New Jersey are required to answer certain questions in the form of written interrogatories which are set forth in a form. Download Form . Further, the inclusion of links is not intended to reflect their importance or to endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered, on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites. VIA eCourts . Type of Questions Defendants Are Expected to Answer Basic Information (d) Option to Produce Business Records. Motions to strike interrogatories or to compel more specific answers thereto shall include a short statement of the nature of the action and shall have annexed thereto the text of the questions and answers, if any, objected to. Except as otherwise provided by paragraph (d) of this rule, if in any interrogatory a copy of a paper is requested, the copy shall be annexed to the answer. Plaintiffs and defendants in personal injury lawsuits may ask a variety of questions covering a wide array of topics that are relevant to the specific accident and injuries. 4:17-1. Plea-01 Main Plea Form. The interrogatories may include a request, at the propounder's expense, for a copy of any paper. 4:17-2 - Time to Serve Interrogatories. Except as otherwise provided by R. 4:17-1(b), the number of interrogatories or of sets of interrogatories to be served is not limited except as required to protect the party from annoyance, expense, embarrassment, or oppression. Full name, present address, date of birth, Social Security number, and Medicare number, if applicable. Interrogatories are requests for written answers to specific questions during the discovery phase of a personal injury case. (b) Objections to Request for Copies of Papers. an attorney-client relationship has been established. Describe your version of the alleged occurrence, incident, accident or act of negligence asserted in detail setting forth the date, location, time and weather. New Jersey Rules of Court. (b) Uniform Interrogatories in Certain Actions. consultation. A party upon whom interrogatories are served who objects to any questions propounded therein may either answer the question by stating "The question is improper" or may, within 20 days after being served with the interrogatories, serve a notice of motion, to be brought on for hearing at the earliest possible time, to strike any question, setting out the grounds of objection. 161 0 obj <>/Metadata 40 0 R/Pages 158 0 R/StructTreeRoot 190 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 163 0 obj <>/MediaBox[0 0 612 792]/Parent 158 0 R/Resources<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI]>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Tabs/S/Type/Page>> endobj 164 0 obj <>stream In addition to information about injuries that you attribute directly to the accident, you will also be asked about any preexisting injuries that were aggravated, worsened, or accelerated by the accident or occurrence at issue. Uniform Interrogatories to be Answered by Plaintiff in All Personal Injury Cases: Superior Court . Rules of Evidence. (c) Interrogatory Motions; Form. In personal injury lawsuits in New Jersey, either party often seeks information through interrogatories and the supplemental interrogatories about the damages that the plaintiff has alleged or the defendants knowledge of the defect or unsafe condition that caused harm to the plaintiff. First, you will be asked to provide some basic information about yourself including your name, address, and contact information. Some case names may CN: 10079. - Interrogatory Forms. If an interrogatory requires a copy of the report of an expert witness or treating or examining physician as set forth in R.4:10-2(d)(1), the answering party shall annex to the interrogatory an exact copy of the entire report or reports rendered by the expert or physician. pose this question and no supplemental interrogatory demanding such a response was served upon . For a complimentary review of your case, contact our team of experienced personal injury lawyers at (609) 528-2596 or access our online contact form today. West v. Andersen, 426 Pa.Super. The answering party shall make timely answer, however, to all questions to which no objection is made. (a) Form of Answers; By Whom Answered. (1) Limitations on Interrogatories. Some of the interrogatories that a defendant in a personal injury claim must answer include their basic biographical and contact information, the defendants version of how the accident occurred and the details of what happened, and any additional information that may be relevant to determining the cause of the accident or whether the plaintiffs negligence played a part in the accident. The plaintiff then appealed this dismissal to the Appellate Division. with revisions by audrey kernan, esq. ccprebody(); Enter to open, tab to navigate, enter to select, https://content.next.westlaw.com/practical-law/document/Ibf170698400911e89bf199c0ee06c731/Interrogatories-Drafting-and-Serving-Interrogatories-NJ?viewType=FullText&transitionType=Default&contextData=(sc.Default), Interrogatories: Drafting and Serving Interrogatories (NJ). (e) Expert's or Treating Physician's Names and Reports. Appendix - Appendix II. - Interrogatory Forms. This firm will only represent you after you have signed a retainer agreement and your Answers to interrogatories may be used to the same extent as provided by R. 4:16-1(a) and R. 4:16-1(b) for the use of the deposition of a party. According to court rules, any person involved in a personal injury lawsuit must answer interrogatories. Then, the plaintiff has 30 days after receiving the defendants answer to the complaint to serve the answers to the relevant uniform interrogatories they are required to answer. Except as otherwise provided by R. 4:17-1(b)(2), the party served with interrogatories shall serve answers thereto upon the party propounding them within 60 days after being served with the interrogatories. What Are Supplemental Interrogatories? Such order may further provide that an expert or treating physician whose name or report is not so furnished shall not be permitted to testify at trial. CN: 10110. APPENDIX II. With Revisions as of December 5, 2022 . Civ. CN: 10148. Essentially, the defendant may seek information concerning the permanency of your injuries and/or whether these injuries were limited in severity or duration. The defendants attorney is also permitted to ask 10 questions in addition to those contained in the general forms. The first category of interrogatories is made up of questions directed towards the debtor himself. These supplemental interrogatories may relate to your activities on the day of the accident, preexisting health conditions, your current physical limitations, and more. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Call us for a Furthermore, it may be very relevant to your case to serve supplemental interrogatories on the defendant and the counsel and assistance of an experienced and knowledgeable New Jersey personal injury lawyer is critical to identifying these questions and properly serving the interrogatories. On appeal from Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Union County, Docket No. The defense attorney will also almost always serve Supplemental Interrogatories upon you, which are questions that usually require more detailed answers about your dog bite claim, such as the breed, size, and appearance of the dog that attacked you, as well as more detailed answers regarding your medical treatment and medical history. Form A. In certain cases, the details included in interrogatories will shed some light on each partys role in causing the accident, with the potential to demonstrate each partys degree of fault, or responsibility for contributing to the accidents occurrence. L-3773-15. The propounder of a request for a copy of a paper which is not complied with, may, within 20 days after being served with the answers, serve a notice of motion directing compliance with the request or for other appropriate relief. November 30, 2016 Fact discovery, including depositions, shall be completed . HUMo0RE?dAqbmh'0)M)B&)==Ju)$R !&S:wotuP`pEIhC0]9ds:+?|jyuEt:T=fLtWN3g1x88[d"#0 HC-1sE If the defendant plans to present any expert witness, whether medical experts, vocational experts, or accident reconstruction experts, they must provide the names and addresses of proposed expert witnesses. Since the answers to interrogatories are written as opposed to verbal, you can take your time when completing them. (d) Costs and Fees on Motion. In addition to any inquiries about your injuries from the accident, the defendant may also ask about any previous injuries or medical conditions that you may have had. be Definitions. Further, under Court Rule 4:17-1 (b) (2) the party served with interrogatories shall serve interrogatories on the party propounding or serving them within 60 days of receiving them. Let us help you navigate your legal challenges. (c) Pleading Not Stayed. advice. or send us an email. In New Jersey, the use of interrogatories in personal injury cases is governed by the Rules Governing the Courts of the State of New Jersey. SUPPLEMENTAL, SET ONE Plaintiff, [CLIENT'S NAME] ("Plaintiff"), requests that Defendant [DEFENDANT'S NAME] ("Defendant"), answer under oath, separately and fully and within thirty days (30) the following supplemental interrogatories pursuant to section 2030.070 of the Code of Civil Procedure. To the extent any of Defendant's document requests or its interrogatory seek documents or answers that include expert material, including but not limited to survey materials, Plaintiff objects to any such requests and interrogatory as premature and expressly reserves the right to supplement, clarify, revise, or correct any or all responses . Financial Questionnaire to Establish Indigency. Related Forms and Guidance . included standard form interrogatories, supplemental interrogatories, and a notice to produce, which demanded plaintiff hVo6* $7Phf+eEak Z#Uox6|(*G Eg pU"Ex 5wl@@ e'"E)m E:jd9^uDyb2Jb6BqxbH98hx~gwSonM>nL^[fHkn6mf~$f,T. Note: This summary is not intended to be an all inclusive summary of discovery law in New Jersey, but does include basic and other information. Note: Source-R.R. Contacting us does not create an The interrogatories may include a request for a copy of any paper, which may be provided at the propounder's expense. How to Sue for Up To $5,000 in Small Claims Court Motor Vehicle Case. If you are the injured party, the interrogatories may also require you to answer more questions about the nature of your injuries sustained because of the accident. If less than all of the interrogatories and answers thereto are marked or read into evidence by a party, an adverse party may read into evidence any other of the interrogatories and answers or parts thereof necessary for a fair understanding of the parts read into evidence. 1. h[k@ $Z[KIB-}XE6q`9gP JPF~[9Qd0@HTwR78h,Rhnq,L/}}.^:TEq`wTl;sK4]>Uv`RHL-MAJc45B,,ZF#JZV)k ~3~?3j-:v.z7o{g/n { 8gV;pVBw.y/=k,(iyU&%(ETE / z A party defendant served with a complaint in an action subject to uniform interrogatories as prescribed by subparagraph b(1) of this rule shall be deemed to have been simultaneously served with such interrogatories. The party served with interrogatories must answer or object to each question. (Caption) 1. attorney-client relationship. Pursuant to New Jersey Court Rule 4:17-1 any party in an action may serve written interrogatories related to the matters of the lawsuit on the other party.