Posted on Thursday, August 9th, 2018 at 6:23 pm
When you are injured in a motor vehicle accident, slip and fall, construction accident, or other accident, you can file a claim against the party who caused your injury to recover compensation for damages. You may also file a claim if you are injured by a defective product or through medical malpractice. While most claims are settled out of court, you may be required to file a lawsuit. If so, the other party may subpoena you for a deposition.
Our Sacramento and Citrus Heights personal injury lawyer helps you prepare for the deposition. Through deposition preparation, you can feel confident and calm as you go into the deposition. Below is some of the information our attorney discusses with clients during deposition preparation.
Preparing for a Deposition
- Tell the truth. You are under oath during your deposition. Therefore, you must tell the truth. If your answers change at trial, your deposition could be used to impeach your testimony. If you do not know the answer to a question, do not guess or estimate unless instructed to do so by your attorney.
- Listen carefully to each question. If you do not understand the question or you did not hear the question, ask the attorney to clarify or repeat the question. Never answer a question unless you understand what information the attorney is seeking.
- Do not offer information. Only answer the question asked by the attorney. Be careful of questions such as, “Is that all.” These questions are designed to elicit additional information. If a question has multiple parts, ask the attorney to repeat each question separately so that you may answer the questions separately.
- You can confer with your attorney. Your Sacramento personal injury lawyer is in the room with you. Your attorney cannot answer questions, but you can request a break to confer with your attorney.
- Remain calm and focused. The attorney may attempt to make you angry or frustrated. It is important that you remain calm. Focus on the questions and your answers.
- Think before you provide an answer. Before you answer a question, take a moment to consider the question asked and your response. Taking a moment to consider your response helps you formulate a coherent answer that focuses on the question only and no other information.
- Do not attempt to justify or explain answers. If the answer to the question is “yes” or “no,” you should provide a one-word response. Attempting to justify or explain your answer could lead to additional It also could lead to information that could be misconstrued or misunderstood.
Call a Sacramento Personal Injury Attorney for Help
Unless otherwise advised by your attorney, you must answer the questions from the other attorney. However, your attorney is present to protect your legal rights. He objects to questions that are outside the scope of discovery. In addition, your attorney will not permit you to be harassed or abused by the other attorney.
For a free consultation with a Sacramento personal injury lawyer, contact The Tiemann Law Firm by calling (916) 999-9000 or by visiting our website.
