Presuit Activities

• Author: Michael Barr/Sharon Gerstman/Burton Lipshie
• Pages: 93-132

2-1

CHAPTER 2

PRESUIT ACTIVITIES

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 Αφτερ ψου ηαϖε δεχιδεδ το αχχεπτ ρεπρεσεντατιον οφ α χλιεντ, ψου µυστ υνδερτακε α νυµβερ οφ πρεσυιτ

αχτιϖιτιεσ το ενσυρε τηατ:

 

 

 

−







 



 

 

     















 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

 

New York Civil Practice Before Trial 2-2

B. Reasons to Conduct a Presuit Investigation

1. Legal Requirements

a. In General

 

 

 

  

 

 

b. CPLR 8303-a

 

 

 

 

 

 

c. 22 NYCRR §130-1.1

 

 

 

 

 

2. Practical Purposes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C. Sources for Investigation

1. Client

 

 

 

 

2. Opposing Parties

 

 

 

 

 

3. Third-party Witnesses

 

 

 

 

4. Experts

 

 

 

 

2-3 Presuit Activities

5. Other Sources

§2:100 ProfessionalInvestigators

§2:101 PublicRecords

§2:102 FreedomofInformationStatutes

§2:103 CorporateFilings

§2:104 Internet

§2:105 TradeOrganizationsandIndustryStandards

§2:106 LegalTradeOrganizations

§2:107 VerifyorDisputeSpecialDamages

§2:108 EmploymentRecords

§2:109 MedicalRecordsandBills

§2:110 PhotographsandVideotapes

§2:111 PropertyAppraisals

§2:112 SiteInspection

§2:113 ResearchtheParties’PriorLitigation

II. PRESUIT COMMUNICATIONS, DEMANDS, AND NOTICES

A. Communications with Parties

§2:120 ContactwithRepresentedOpponentProhibited

§2:121 CommunicatingwithUnrepresentedPartyAlsoProhibited

B. Demand Letters

§2:130 ChancesofSuccess

§2:131 ElementsofDemandLetter

§2:132 DemandLetterMayBeRequired

C. Threatening Action

§2:140 ThreatofCriminalProsecution

§2:141 ThreatofCivilLitigation

D. Notice Requirements

§2:150 NoticeofTortClaimAgainstPublicCorporation

§2:151 PriorNoticeofDangerousCondition

§2:152 MalpracticeActions

E. Communicating with Insurers

§2:160 AvailabilityofCoverage

§2:161 NoticeofObligations

§2:162 RequirementThatInsurerShowPrejudiceFromLateNotice

§2:163 ObjectiveStandardforLateNotice

§2:164 NoticeofClaimRequired,NotJustNoticeofSuit

§2:165 Insurer’sDutytoDefend

§2:166 Plainti’sDemandforDefendanttoNotifyItsInsurer

§2:167 DisclosureofInsuranceAgreement

III. LITIGATION PLANNING

A. Pre-Filing Resolution

1. Negotiation

§2:180 PresuitResolutionPreferable

§2:181 Negotiations

§2:182 OralNegotiations

§2:183 WrittenNegotiations

2. Alternative Dispute Resolution

§2:190 ArbitrationUnderContractTerms

§2:191 VoluntaryArbitration

§2:192 ProsandConsofArbitration

§2:193 Mediation