If you have been injured in any type of accident and want to file a claim to be compensated, then it is likely you will at some point have to be deposed. A deposition is an oral statement that you give under oath. It involves the details of the accident itself as well as your injuries. The point of this deposition is to get your story on record to be used as evidence.
Note that the deposition can be used by both your attorney and the attorney of the plaintiff. It is essential that you give the best possible deposition you can because it could make or break your case. The good news is that your experienced personal injury attorney will give you detailed instructions based on your specific case. In the meantime, read these tips for an idea of what you should and should not do.
If you do not understand a question then you should not answer it
If there is any doubt about what is being asked then you should ask for clarification. If you still do not understand then vocalize your confusion. It may feel silly or be embarrassing but when you consider how much is on the line, you can see that it is essential that you do not risk saying something that can be interpreted incorrectly.
Only answer what is asked
Everyone who is asking you questions has carefully worded them to elicit the information they want. Even if you feel that they are not asking questions to cover the full scope of the situation, do not offer additional information. Trust that your own attorney will ask you the relevant information that may be missed by the plaintiff’s attorney. Even if something is missed entirely, it can be introduced later. What you cannot do is take back a statement. As a result, do not say a word more than you have to.
It is perfectly acceptable to say that you do not know the answer
Remember that you are under oath and every answer should be 100% honest. If the honest answer is that you do not know then this is the answer you should give. Do not guess.
Be prepared to be uncomfortable
Remember that the attorney for the plaintiff is not on your side. They are trying to reduce your claim or have it dismissed entirely. As a result, they are going to do what they can to fluster you, embarrass you, or otherwise make the process difficult. Be ready for anything and do not get flustered. It will all be over within a few minutes or hours and then you can move forward with your claim.
If you are wondering if you have grounds to file a personal injury claim then we highly recommend you contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 right now. We can begin with a free legal evaluation.
