Tip #170 - How To Use The Investigations Page In SmartAdvocate

The “Investigations” Page in SmartAdvocate is used to document certain types of investigations that may be necessary as you work on a personal injury case. Typical data entered in this page includes: Investigations in general (accident investigations, expert investigations, some research, etc.), Documenting the Request and Receipt of Police Reports, Documentation of Witness Information (such as eyewitnesses), and Entry Of The Three Note Types For The Foregoing. The page is generally divided into four sections:

• Investigations

• Police Reports

• Witnesses

• Notes

Investigations
Use the “Add Investigation” “Add Note” section at the top of the page to enter the Investigator Contact Information, Date Assigned, Investigation Type, etc. A typical Investigator that is entered in this section would include the Collision Reconstructionist in an auto accident case, for example. Any note entered through the “Add Note” button in this section will default to the note type “Investigation.”

Police Reports
This section is specific to Police Reports. Use this section to enter and document the police agency from whom the Police Report is requested and/or obtained. You are further able to document whether the report is favorable, etc. Notes entered through the “Add Note” button in this section will default to the note type “Police Report.”

Witnesses
Enter Witness Contact Information in this section. You will be able to specify the witness type (i.e., Non Party Witness, Fact Witness, Notice Witness, Lay Witness, etc.). Notes entered using the “Add Note” button in this section are defaulted to the note type “‘Witness.” [Note: Witnesses entered in this section will be available to select as deponents when entering deposition information on the Litigation Screen].

Notes
This section at the bottom part of the Investigations Page will allow you to enter general notes of the types of Investigations, Police Report and Witness. When you click the “Add New Note” button in this section, you must select from one of those three note types only.

Please note also that Notes of the types: Investigations, Police Report and Witness, entered on the General Notes Page will be shown in this section with the appropriate designation.