“Considering the unfortunate event took place a year ago and there hasn’t been a lawsuit filed makes me suspect the entire story.”
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Lawsuits usually aren’t filed until just before the statute of limitations expired. That time is spent gathering evidence, taking depositions, and follows leads as to where more info might be located. It’s not unusual for it to be almost two years before lawsuits are actually filed. Most personal injury cases have a two-year limitations. Medical malpractice is also two in some states, but may be more in others, I’m not sure.
No Defendant is going to agree to an extrajudicial deposition from an adversarial party. Depositions will happen after a civil action is commenced.