Current in circuit with switch
When the switch is open there is nothing to add energy to the circuit. Ideal capacitors and inductors don't consume energy gut resistors do, so if you wait long enough, the resistor will use up all the energy in the circuit. With these sorts of questions, unless it states explicitly that the capacitor is charged or there's  current in the inductor, they are assuming that the circuit is fully drained of energy. That's what is meant by "the switch is open t&lt;0", the switch was left open before we start analysing the circuit so there's no stored energy.