If you have been involved in a personal injury case, you may need to take a deposition. In Rhode Island and Massachusetts, our law firm routinely advises our clients on their depositions.
In civil court cases such as a car accident case, a deposition refers to an out-of-court proceeding where a witness answers questions from a lawyer under oath. That sworn testimony may then be used in other proceedings such as court or arbitration.
If you have a personal injury case, your deposition is a very important milestone event in your case. Depositions generally can only occur once. Also, it is typically the first time that the defense lawyer and insurance representative may meet you in person.
How Do I Prepare For My Deposition?
To maximize success at your deposition, hopefully you have hired the best personal injury lawyer! Because — perhaps the best advice in a personal injury deposition preparation — is to listen carefully to your attorney.
It starts with understanding that a deposition is unlike anything you have experienced before. “You don’t know what you don’t know.” Therefore, you really need a personal injury lawyer you connect with who can effectively teach you how to take a deposition, much like test taking. You need to have an open mind to learn the deposition “cheat codes.”
Some of the common personal injury advice we give to our clients before a deposition centers around being thoughtful and intentional in listening to every word before providing your response. Insurance defense lawyers are paid to craft very specific questions seeking to essentially trick you (they will deny it, of course) into giving answers that will sink your case. In general, you will learn to provide short, literal answers. Additionally, it is advisable to respond with “I do not recall” or “remember” when that is truthful, rather than trying to guess or provide an inaccurate response.
Depositions benefit the insurance defense lawyer. By first understanding the general principles of deposition taking, you can then understand how best to respond to more specific questions relating to your case.
At Bottaro Injury Lawyers, we take the time to meet with our clients in person to teach, educate, and prepare for this unique experience.
It’s Good to Know Bottaro Law – 24/7 Top Rated Personal Injury Help
At Bottaro Injury Lawyers, we care for people. Attorney Mike Bottaro and his award-winning legal team handle all types of personal injury cases throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts. We can even help on cases in other states as well. We pride ourselves on our honesty, integrity, and results. Contact us 24/7 in any method you prefer for a fast, free, and confidential consultation about your case. Feel free to text or call us at 401-777-7777, or fill out our free and confidential online form. We are here to serve and help you!