Preparing For a Deposition

If you have been deposed in your personal injury claim, it is imperative that you are properly prepared before going to your deposition. The answers you provide under oath can be later used against you at trial. Your Orange County personal injury lawyer will meet with you before your deposition to advise you as to how you should act and what you need to do or not do in order to prevent jeopardizing your case.

Do Not Outsmart the Deposing Attorney

One of the most important pieces of advice your Orange County personal injury lawyer will give you is not to “outsmart” the deposing attorney. Such an attempt will come across as anything but smart. If you attempt to “outsmart” the deposing attorney, the result is usually detrimental to your case because you will most likely be caught in your own lie.

Your Orange County personal injury lawyer will advise you to honestly answer the questions and if you do not know the answer to a certain question, simply state “I don’t know.”

Types of Questions Asked

• Your lawyer will also help you prepare for your deposition by providing you with the common types of questions that the deposing attorney may ask, including:
• If an attorney is trying to get information, they ask open-ended questions.
• If an attorney is trying to pin a witness down, they ask leading questions.
• Whether open-ended or leading, attorneys try to keep questions short even though they don’t always succeed.
• Attorneys also generally try to make each question self-contained, so that the witness can understand it without reference to other questions.

By expecting the types of questions that may be asked at your deposition, you can be better prepared to answer them in a manner that will not jeopardize your case.

We Can Help

At the Law Offices of Samer Habbas, we walk our clients through every step of the litigation process. We will meet with you before every court appearance and hearing. We will prepare you for your deposition and help you prepare necessary documents.

For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our Orange County personal injury lawyers, call our offices at (888) 848-5084.