Braintree, MA personal injury attorney Michael Conley discusses the process for bringing a personal injury lawsuit in MA. He explains that in a subset of cases, we reach a settlement without going to court. However, I will focus on what happens when we do go to court. It begins with the filing of a complaint, a document stating that the defendant was negligent and caused harm to my client. In response, we receive an answer from the defendant, which typically denies all allegations, regardless of the circumstances. This initiates the Discovery process, where there are two components for the client’s involvement. First, there is paper discovery, which involves answering written questions under oath and providing relevant documents (although we usually gather them beforehand). Secondly, the client may be asked to give a deposition, where they go to the other lawyer’s office and answer questions under oath for as long as necessary. Once these steps are completed, the client’s active role concludes, unless a trial is required. Most of the legal process, including Discovery, usually occurs within an 18-month timeframe outlined in the court’s tracking order. It’s important to note that there are numerous activities taking place behind the scenes that don’t require the client’s direct involvement. These are the key events that our clients will experience during their case.