How 'Requests for Admissions' Can Be Leveraged in Your Personal Injury Case

Requests for admission can be an invaluable discovery device in a personal injury lawsuit, particularly when a plaintiff wants to streamline their case and keep costs under control. This tool in litigation allows one party to ask the opposing side to either admit or deny specific facts, legal conclusions, or opinions about the case. If the opposing party admits a fact, that point is deemed established and no longer needs to be proven at trial. In the personal injury context, that can mean avoiding the expense and time associated with bringing in expert testimony or other evidence to prove something that should not reasonably be contested—such as the fact that an accident occurred on a certain date or that a specific insurance policy was in effect.

By using requests for admission carefully, plaintiffs and defendants can eliminate the back-and-forth over issues that are not genuinely in dispute. For example, if the defendant is prepared to admit that they were driving a certain vehicle at the time of the collision, there is little point in requiring the plaintiff to hire an investigator to confirm the same detail. Through this process, both parties can focus their resources on matters that truly need to be resolved, such as the nature and extent of the injuries or the degree of fault.

This tool also has teeth when it comes to cost recovery. If a party unreasonably denies a request for admission and forces the other side to gather evidence and present it at trial—only for the fact to be proven true—then the party who made the denial can be ordered to pay the other side’s costs of proof. This expense can include expert witness fees, among other items, which might otherwise burden the party who needed to establish the fact. Courts generally expect litigants to act reasonably in their admissions, so the threat of having to reimburse such costs can encourage honesty and efficiency.

In short, requests for admission serve an important purpose in narrowing down the issues that remain in contention and removing the need for expensive and unnecessary proof on straightforward points. When used effectively, they promote clarity, conserve resources, and keep the focus where it belongs: on the genuinely disputed facts that will decide the personal injury case.

CONTACT PHILLIPS & ASSOCIATES TODAY

If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident, contact Phillips & Associates at (818) 348-9515 for a free consultation today. You will immediately be put in touch with John Phillips or Patrick DiFilippo, who can help determine whether you have a case and advise you on the best course of action moving forward.