If you and your Florida personal injury attorney decide that the best course of action for you to recover the damages you deserve is a lawsuit, you have to be prepared to give depositions at some point.
A deposition is simply any testimony that is given out of court. They usually occur in an attorney’s office (yours or the defendant’s) and will usually involve the defendant’s attorney asking you a series of questions pertaining to your injury, your accident, and your medical history.
Typically, your answers may be transcribed a court reporter. In recent years, some attorneys elect to record a video instead of, or in conjunction with, a traditional transcriber. Whatever form the deposition takes, copies of it will be made available to all attorneys working on the case, as well as to the insurance company.
The deposition is very important for a several reasons. First, this will likely be your first contact with the defense attorney, and the first impression you make will be very important. If the defense attorney senses that you are unsure about your testimony, settlement becomes much less likely. Another reason depositions are extremely important is that they will likely be your first experience testifying. Many of the rules that apply to testifying in court apply to depositions, as well. Since you will have to testify during your trial, it is good that you will be familiar with the rules ahead of time.
If you have to litigate, having an experienced Florida personal injury attorney on your side is vital. Call Florida personal injury attorney John Fagan today for a free initial consultation.