why would a defendants lawyer need my ssn

As has been pointed out, depending on the nature of issue at hand, the SSN may be necessary for the attorney to gather the necessary background to actually help you. If all you are looking for is answers to some questions, contact legal aid, don't bother attorney that earn a living helping people and waste those attorneys time.

Full Answer

Why do I need a Social Security number for a lawyer?

Jun 15, 2013 · Social security numbers are necessary when filing for bankruptcy or in other types of legal representation. Of course, it is up to you when you want to provide it, you may want to wait until you actually retain the attorney. You should bring up your discomfort at your consultation and see what the attorney says.

Is the defendant entitled to the plaintiff’s Social Security number?

Mar 13, 2013 · There is no need for it unless there is some claim of identity theft or something. There should be some compelling reason for the other side to need a social security number and they should have to prove that reason to a court. Too much information is available once a social security number is given out.

Will you provide my client’s Social Security number in a case?

Answer (1 of 6): The attorneys on the other side will want that information, and they’ll be able to compel the production of the number in court. The SSN helps identify you and aids in things like background checks. Insurance companies pay for these background checks routinely because if …

Why would the other side need a Social Security number?

Dec 03, 2011 · Defendant's Attorney Demand for Production is Social Security card and Driver's License ... Nonetheless, the relevancy of your social security number and driver license information depends on the nature of the claims you are making in your lawsuit. If the numbers are relevant and/or could lead to discoverable evidence, then you probably have an ...

Is asking for Social Security Number Legal?

There is no law that prevents businesses from asking for your SSN. And you may be denied service if you don't give the number. If giving your SSN to a business doesn't seem reasonable to you, ask if you can show another form of identification.

Can a lawyer lie to get information?

Answer: No, because although lawyers may not generally use deceit to gather evidence, lawyers and their agents may pretend to be ordinary customers in order to gather evidence of ongoing wrongdoing.

Is a plaintiff's social security number discoverable in California?

By Peter M. Dunne. A Social Security Number is discoverable in a personal injury case because it is reasonably calculated to lead to admissible evidence. Claims of privacy and concerns for identity theft will not bar discovery of a Social Security Number.Feb 20, 2020

Can lawyers use social media as evidence?

All normal authentication rules for discoverable evidence apply to social media, including Federal Rule of Evidence 901. Any piece of social media offered as evidence, whether it's a post, a photo, a video or something else, must be authenticated by the person who created it in order to be admissible.

What is unethical for a lawyer?

Attorney misconduct may include: conflict of interest, overbilling, refusing to represent a client for political or professional motives, false or misleading statements, knowingly accepting worthless lawsuits, hiding evidence, abandoning a client, failing to disclose all relevant facts, arguing a position while ...

What is it called when a lawyer lies?

In his email, Brett asked whether lawyers are allowed to commit “perjury.” The term “perjury” refers specifically to making a false statement under oath. It's rare for lawyers to commit perjury for the simple reason that lawyers generally do not make statements under oath--that's what witnesses do.Nov 30, 2009

Do you need SSN to settle lawsuit?

If your SSN is required for the settlement, we will only ask you for the last 4 digits of your SSN or Tax ID number for verification. If you fail to provide this information, it could in some cases lead to delay or rejection of your claim or withholding of funds from your distribution for tax purposes.

How do you respond to interrogatories?

Your answers to the interrogatories should usually be short, clear, and direct and should answer only the question that is being asked. This is not the time to set out your entire case or defense to the other side. Take the time to make sure your answers are correct and truthful.

Why do lawyers ask for social media accounts?

It has become common, especially in personal injury cases, for defense counsel to request access to or copies of plaintiffs' Facebook and other social media accounts in the discovery process to see whether the claims made by the plaintiff in the lawsuit are supported or contradicted by what is posted on social media.Jul 19, 2019

Are screenshots enough to convict?

In order to provide evidence, especially when facing a trial, it is customary to present screenshots. It is usual to accept these screenshots as evidence at first, but the judge must determine whether or not they can be considered valid later on.Sep 20, 2016

What can I post on social media during a lawsuit?

But posts and pictures can (and will) be taken out of context. When you've filed a personal injury lawsuit, avoid posting anything on social media. You can't predict how your posts or pictures can be used against you. Nothing you post on social media will benefit your case.

Can a defendant disclose your social security number?

There was a time when your social security number was protected from disclosure . However, now, the defendant is entitled to it so they can ascertain whether you received any medicare or medical benefits. If you did those liens must be satisfied from any settlement funds.

Do you have to give your SS number?

You don't have to give your SS#, but more than likely, if you don't, the other side will ask the Court to order you to and if you don't comply with the judge's order, the judge is likely to kick your case out of court. The other side is allowed to discover anything that could likely be admissible in the case. Presuming you have an injury case, almost all your medical records will be indexed by SS# and they will need the number to get those records. Your income records will be indexed that way too. The other side is entitled to get those records if you are claiming injuries and lost income. Good luck.

Is Fred Lung Kee Fong illegal?

Fred Lung-Kee Fong (Unclaimed Profile) No, it is not illegal. A person can ask for anything, but whether the attorney can force you to produce the information is a different question. Since you want to know if an attorney can ask, the answer is yes he or she can ask.

Nicholas Basil Spirtos

Depending on the facts of your case, the opposing party may be entitled to request such information.

Jose Carmelo Masso IV

There is no blanket rule making your SSN or driver license number private in a law suit, especially one initiated by you. Nonetheless, the relevancy of your social security number and driver license information depends on the nature of the claims you are making in your lawsuit.

Why do insurance companies want to minimize claims?

An insurance company wants to minimize your claim and pay you as little as possible, so they’re eager for any ammunition to use against you. If your social security number leads to medical treatment for prior injuries, for example, that’s extremely valuable information to them.

Do insurance companies keep your social security number?

An insurance company wants to keep your social security number on file, especially if you are opening a bodily injury claim related to a personal injury accident. Regardless of whether it’s a pedestrian, bicycle, motorcycle, delivery driver, Uber, commercial vehicle, or regular auto accident case, they want this data on file ...

Why have defendants been denied Social Security numbers?

Defendants have been denied Social Security Numbers when “Defendants’ demand for plaintiffs’ Social Security Numbers was accompanied neither by a demand for authorizations to obtain any documents identifiable only by reference to such numbers, nor by any other showing of relevance or necessity.”.

Why is a plaintiff's social security number important?

A plaintiff’s Social Security Number is useful, for example in searching for his or her medical records and determining the amount of his or her Medicaid lien. Moreover, in defending the action, Defendants are entitled to conduct an investigation into any of [plaintiff’s] prior claims or injuries, medical treatment, and criminal history, ...

Why is a Social Security number discoverable?

A Social Security Number is discoverable in a personal injury case because it is reasonably calculated to lead to admissible evidence. Claims of privacy and concerns for identity theft will not bar discovery of a Social Security Number. Zbigniewiwcz v.

What is the primary usefulness of a decedent's Social Security number?

The primary usefulness of the decedent’s Social Security Number is as a tool for acquiring evidence. Since evidence itself is not the proper subject of a Bill of Particulars, a mere device for its acquisition is a fortiori inappropriately requested. Item 17 is therefore stricken.”. That being said, it is clear that a claim ...

Is a Social Security number in a bill of particulars improper?

The Courts have held that a demand for a Social Security Number in a Bill of Particulars is improper as it does not serve to amplify the pleadings and, instead, it is evidentiary in nature and, thus, more properly made in a discovery demand. In Kupferberg v.

Can a claim of privacy bar the discovery of Social Security numbers in personal injury cases?

That being said, it is clear that a claim of privacy cannot bar the discovery of Social Security Numbers in personal injury cases where defendants are able to show that they are necessary or indispensable for defendant to obtain relevant records such as medical records, perform prior claim searches, determine liens, etc. Zbigniewiwcz v.