Motor Vehicle Accidents

• Author: Larry Booth/Roger Booth
• Pages: 129-158

3 -1 (Rev. 2, 11/13)

Chapter 3

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS

I. ELEMENTS OF CAUSE OF ACTION AND DEFENSES

A. General Points

§3:01 Introduction

§3:02 Checklist: Driver Negligence

§3:03 Pro Driver Prejudice in the Pedestrian Case—“But for the Grace of God Go I”

§3:04 Negligence Per Se

§3:05 Vehicle Owner’s Liability

§3:06 Employer Liability

B. Defendants and Defenses

1. Defendants

§3:10 Defendant’s Insurance Coverage

§3:11 Explore All Potential Claims and Defendants

§3:12 Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Claims

§3:13 Dangerous Locations: Suit Against Public Entity

§3:14 Auto Defects

§3:15 Checklist: Possible Defendants and Liability Theories

2. Defenses

§3:20 Comparative Negligence

§3:21 Plaintiff’s Speed

§3:22 Seatbelt Defense

§3:23 Overcoming Seatbelt Defense

§3:24 Other Fact-Based Defenses

C. Specific Fact Situations

1. Auto Collisions

§3:30 MIST Cases

§3:31 Rear-End Collisions

§3:32 Intoxicated Driver

§3:33 Multi-Vehicle Accident

2. Auto vs. Pedestrian

§3:40 Dart-Out Cases

§3:41 Cross-Walk Cases—Marked and Unmarked

Personal Injury Handbook 3-2

§3:42 Sudden-Entry Cases

§3:43 Jay-Walking Cases

II. INTERVIEW AND INVESTIGATION

§3:50 Client Interview: Collision Case

§3:51 Form: Client Interview Questions—Pedestrian Case

§3:52 Investigation Checklist

§3:53 The Police Report

§3:54 Interview All Witnesses ASAP

§3:55 Prepare Your Case, Then Contact the Defense

§3:56 Retaining Accident Reconstruction Expert

§3:57 Auto vs. Pedestrian Accidents: Triangulation and the Scene

§3:58 Examining the Defendant’s Car for Cell Phone and GPS Navigational Devices

III. PLEADINGS

§3:70 Motor Vehicle Accident Complaints

IV. PLAINTIFF’S WRITTEN DISCOVERY

A. Interrogatories

§3:80 Areas of Inquiry

§3:81 Form: Interrogatories to Adverse Driver

B. Requests for Production

§3:90 Documents to Request

§3:91 Adverse Driver’s Cell Phone Records in Pedestrian Accidents

§3:92 Adverse Driver’s Visual Test Records

§3:93 Form: Requests for Production to Adverse Driver

C. Discovery Motions

§3:101 Motion to Produce Cell Phone Records

§3:102 Motion to Produce Driver’s Vision Records

V. DEPOSITIONS

A. Plaintiff’s Depositions

§3:110 Defendant Driver

§3:111 Form: Deposition Questions for Adverse Driver

§3:112 Checklist: Deposition of Eye Witness

B. Preparation for Defense Depositions

§3:120 Deposition of Adult Injured Plaintiff

§3:121 Deposition of Parents in Death of Child

§3:122 Deposition of Young Child in Child Dart-Out Injury Case

C. Experts

§3:130 Deposition of Defense Accident Reconstruction Expert

§3:131 Preparation for Deposition of Plaintiff Accident Reconstruction Expert