If you pursue a personal injury claim, then there’s a good chance that you’re going to be deposed by the defense. This means that they’ll subpoena you to provide sworn testimony outside of court prior to trial, all in hopes of figuring out your take on the facts and identifying inconsistencies in your account.
This can be a stressful process, for sure, especially given that the defense attorney has wide latitude in what they can ask you, and your attorney will be limited in what they can do to stop the questioning. However, there are some ways that you can effectively prepare for your deposition so that you can protect the strength of your case.
There are several ways to prepare for a deposition. These include:
- Anticipating the defense’s questions so that you can practice your answers.
- Preparing yourself to face aggressiveness so that you aren’t taken off guard during the deposition and as a result say something that you don’t intend.
- Becoming aware that it’s okay to take time after a question is asked to formulate an answer in your head so that you don’t say something unintentional.
- Practicing careful listening so that you only provide answers to the questions asked and refrain from volunteering information.
- Learning how to be honest while still framing your answers in a way that protects your interests.
Solid preparation is key to a successful deposition, so be sure to put in the work necessary to ready yourself for the process ahead.
Know how to protect your interests throughout your personal injury litigation
Your personal injury case will come under attack in various ways as you navigate the process. You have to know how to fight back against the defense’s assertions so that you can protect the viability of your case and your likelihood of winning. Fortunately, you can discuss the facts of your case with your attorney to figure out the best way to shield your claim from the defense’s attacks, which will hopefully lead to the outcome that you want.