These tips will help you prepare for a successful personal injury deposition
If you have been hurt in an accident due to the negligence of another party, and you wish to file a claim for compensation, you are probably going to have to give a deposition. A deposition is an oral statement given under oath regarding all the details of your accident and your injury. The purpose of a deposition is to get your side of the story on record so that it can be used as evidence and will be accessible to both your attorney and the defendant’s attorney during discovery.
It is very important to give the best deposition you can give, since your testimony during the deposition could make or break your case. Your personal injury lawyer will provide you with detailed instructions for the deposition, as well as practice questions and answers with you so you are prepared to tell your story accurately.
The following tips will also help you prepare for a successful deposition.
Don’t Answer Questions You Don’t Understand
If you have any doubt as to what a question is asking, you can ask for clarification. It is better to risk feeling silly than answer a question you don’t understand and risk saying something that could be misinterpreted.
Answer Questions As Asked
It is the deposing attorney’s job to ask questions that will elicit all the information they want. Even if you think they are overlooking some vital piece of information, you should not go outside the scope of the question to provide it. Instead, simply answer the questions as asked without providing any extraneous information. If they miss some information that could be useful for your claim, your own attorney can introduce it later.
“I Don’t Know” Is a Valid Answer
Because a deposition is given under oath, you want to be careful to be completely honest in all your statements. If you are asked a question and you don’t know or you can’t remember the answer, say so. No answer is better than a guess that might turn out to be wrong and cast doubt on the veracity of your entire testimony.
Don’t Get Flustered
During the deposition, it is highly likely you will be asked questions that make you uncomfortable. However, it is important not to let your emotions interfere with your ability to answer questions clearly and honestly.
Read Before You Sign
You will be asked to sign the court reporter’s transcript of your deposition. Take time to read it first. This is your final opportunity to make sure all your answers are correct. If you find and misstatements or omissions, ask to have them corrected before you sign.
Need Help with a Personal Injury Case?
The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker is here to provide top-quality guidance through every step of your personal injury case, including your deposition. To hire us as your attorney, call us at 800-333-0000 now.
