When you’ve been injured in Boone County and are seeking financial payments from the at-fault party, you must go through the process of giving a deposition – or, in other words, answering questions from the defense attorney. As your trusted personal injury attorney, we’ve seen hundreds of depositions, and have learned the best way to go about this process. Here are our five best tips for acing the deposition.
1. Don’t embellish the truth.
The most important rule in giving a deposition is, to tell the truth and only the truth. You are sworn in during this process, so embellishing the truth in any way is a crime. The defense will be looking for anything in your deposition that doesn’t line up with the truth.
2. Answer the question that is asked.
During your deposition, the defense attorney will be allowed to ask you questions. They often try to pull a tactic where they ask several easy questions very quickly, and then throw a tougher question at you, hoping you’ll fumble after the many “yes” or “no” answers all in a row. Pay close attention to every question, take your time and think about what is being asked before you answer.
3. Don’t try to guess or estimate.
If you don’t know an exact answer to a question, just say you don’t know or don’t remember. Don’t estimate that someone was standing 30 feet away from you if you aren’t confident in that number – because the defense will try to use this number as the absolute truth to prove their point.
4. Don’t tell a story.
The deposition is not the time to tell your entire story, even if the defense attorney tries to lead you into a story. You are here to answer questions, nothing more. Every piece of information you give that wasn’t asked for is simply fuel that the defense can use to prove you don’t deserve what you are asking.
5. Keep your cool during the deposition.
Attorneys that are defending someone are looking for a way to make you seem less credible to the court. They may try to get you emotional. Do your best to stay cool, calm, and polite through the entire deposition.
If you need a personal injury attorney in Boone County, contact us at Fisk & Monteleone Personal Injury Lawyers today for experienced help.
