3 Things to Know About Your Car Accident Claim Deposition
In today’s world, when it comes to personal injury claims, it seems as though we are seeing more and more cases being taken to trial than ever before. The fact of the matter is that, most commonly, especially when it comes to civil personal injury claims or cases, defendants are far more inclined to look to settle claims, and try to get off a bit cheaper than they would if they were to lose the case or claim to the plaintiff. According to the team at Levine & Wiss, the best injury lawyer Brooklyn has to offer, settlements are not only cheaper in terms of the payouts that the defense will generally have to pay the victim and their attorney, but it will generally also save tons of time, effort, and unwanted lawyer fees – as going to an actual trial is one of the most grueling things a person can go through, especially having just gone through the initial stress of the accident, no car accidents lawyer will advise you to go through with a trial, especially if a reasonable settlement discussion is already on the table. And with so many more car accident claims and other personal injury claims going to trial, it brings to light a far more in-depth discussion on the aspects of trial and what exactly either side needs to better understand and what each side should know about ensuring their trial goes best. According to the team at Levine & Wiss, the best injury attorney Brooklyn has to offer, one of the most important aspects of your trial for the plaintiff, has got to be the deposition. During the course of most car accident cases, if a personal injury lawsuit has been filed, a process known as “discovery” will take place. This is the opportunity for both sides of the case to assess one another’s positions (and their own) and gather evidence to be used at trial. Especially from the defendant’s point of view, one of the most important steps in the discovery phase is the plaintiff’s deposition. In this article, we will go over a few of the most important things your car accidents lawyer can help you understand about handling your deposition.
· Don’t Say Too Much!
As the plaintiff in a car accident lawsuit, you must attend at least one deposition. You might want to avoid it, but short of some extremely extenuating circumstances, you won’t be able to. According to the team at Levine & Wiss, the best injury lawyer Brooklyn has to offer, the defendant’s attorney will ask you a series of questions that can take hours and be exhausting. Their job is to get as much information from you on the fault and the extent of your injuries, generally trying to get you to slip up and give out information in their favor. As a result, you should give as little information as possible, while still answering the questions. A qualified car accidents lawyer will educate you on how to do this as best as possible.
· Make Sure You are Prepared
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According to the team at Levine & Wiss, the best injury attorney Brooklyn has to offer, your attorney needs to help you prepare for your deposition. In doing so, they will help you to review relevant documents like the police report, your medical records, and anything else that will refresh your memory of what happened. Also, before your deposition, your attorney will already have responded to the defendant’s requests for the production of documents and interrogatories. You’ll need to make sure you review the answers you’ve already provided and the documents you’ve already produced so that whatever testimony you give during your deposition is consistent with the information the defendant’s attorney already has.
· The Defense is Trying to Lock You In
According to the team at Levine & Wiss, the best injury attorney Brooklyn has to offer, the defendant’s team wants to pin you down to one version of your “story” when it comes to how the accident happened and what your damages are. Having more than one “story” can damage your credibility. For example, if during your deposition you say that you were driving about 35 miles per hour right before the accident, and during trial you say you were driving around 25, the defendant’s attorney will portray you as someone who has a very unreliable memory (at best) or someone who has just committed perjury (at worst).
For more information on all there is to know about car accident cases, be sure to contact Levine & Wiss today.
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