Five points to consider during personal injury deposition

Five points to consider during personal injury deposition A deposition may be coming up after filing a personal injury claim. The discovery procedure in a lawsuit involves both sides digging deep into this case. One of the better ways could be interviewing the key witnesses and concerned parties of deposition. During this process, an attorney of one side questions the deponent on various aspects centered on this case.  You are put under an oath of answering the questions truthfully. Depositions may not be as daunting as considered by some people. The points discussed below can be considered during deposition:

Being precise

It may be easier to ramble in worry or even nervousness. Consequently, the answers should be precise, short and to the point. Instead of providing vague explanations, be precise with descriptions and answers against the questions.

Listen to all the questions carefully

The information provided by you during a deposition may be useful at trial. There is no point in hurting the personal injury matter with answers when the question isn’t understandable. You can take some time to understand the questions carefully for giving a suitable answer. In case the question isn’t understandable, ask your interviewer for explaining it properly. It’s better to not divulge anything which isn’t relevant to the concerned case. When some aspects of the case appear worrisome, it is better to discuss them with your lawyer before the deposition in personal injury matter.

Speak the truth

During deposition time, you are already under an oath. Any failure on your part to reveal the truth may constitute perjury. In case the truth surfaces during trail, it may damage your case to a certain extent. Lying is likely to diminish your credibility during the trail in later stages. In case you fail to remember, express it without any hesitation. Don’t get into guess work when you don’t know answers to questions. In personal injury cases, don’t try to justify the answer and take a pause after answering the question.

Practice

Don’t lose temper and try to stay calm and polite during the proceedings. Stay away from arguments and all of this is possible with constant practice. Provided both of you and your lawyer can spare some time, hold a simple practice deposition. At any point of time, you’ll can speak with your lawyer privately regarding an answer to the questions. You can exercise the right without fearing about anything. With practice sessions, your attorney can provide you a rough idea of questions to formulate proper answers.

Relax         

Although deposition in personal injury cases is no adversarial process, don’t forget to relax. If you aren’t aware of details from A to Z, just relax. Only state what you already know by paying attention to each question at a time. In case you’re feeling tired and thirsty, just request for a short break. Provided you’re unsure on answering a question, take some time. Your attorney is present to offer assistance during deposition with personal injury matter.  It is always better to consult a lawyer who has specialization and experience in this field.

Image credit: Lisa Young