If you are ever hurt in a slip and fall incident, the defense will ask you a series of questions in a deposition. Your personal injury lawyer will tell you to expect the following as depositions are mandatory in slip and fall lawsuits. Courts require these because they offer the defense the opportunity to gain a clear understanding of the true nature of the case. A deposition also gives the defense lawyer the opportunity to meet you in person and judge you as a person. The lawyer can also better determine his or her client’s chances of winning the case. First impressions count. You can actually be offered less of a settlement because the defense’s insurance company felt that you did not have as good witnesses even though you have a solid case. Personal injury lawyers have seen this happen many times.
Questions you’ll probably be asked
You and your personal injury lawyer in Hollister will be answering several types of questions during the deposition. You’ll be answering background questions, questions that ask how the accident happened, questions regarding your damages and injuries, and questions regarding your medical history.
Background questions tend to focus on your educational qualifications and accomplishments, your family history, your military, and your employment history (if any.) Most questions will concentrate on how the accident occurred though. What will be especially emphasized is questions that ask about the extent and nature of your injuries. You’ll be asked to provide extremely detailed accounts of the nature of the accident.
If, for example, you slipped on ice, look forward to being asked the following questions:
● What were you wearing on your feet?
● What were you carrying in your hands?
● Were you looking down while you were walking?
● Were you looking down period?
● Do you customarily look down when you walk?
● If you weren’t looking down, why not?
Since these questions are designed to extract certain information that is detailed, you may feel overwhelmed. The best way to answer these questions is to practice constantly with your personal injury lawyer.
The last set of questions will probe into your medical history, your bodily injuries, and the damages you are requesting. Since the defense’s legal team will probe into your medical history, don’t be surprised if they ask you to name all of your doctors and health providers in the past 10 years!
The defense’s legal team will ask questions similar to these because they want to know exactly how the slip and fall affected you physically and in terms of your lifestyle:
● What were your injuries?
● Identify every health care provider you saw in connection with this incident
● What were your complaints and symptoms?
● How did your complaints and symptoms change over time?
A deposition can be ‘your best friend’
That’s right, you can make a deposition work in your favor. This is especially true if you prepare for it extensively beforehand with a good personal injury lawyer.