At a deposition, the defense team wants to uncover the plaintiff’s side of the story. The defense team hopes to discover what the plaintiff’s claims are about. Hence, that same team asks specific questions.
Some of the questions are about the plaintiff’s background information.
• What is your name? Where do you live?
• What is your occupation?
Some of the questions are about how the slip and fall incident took place.
• What sort of footwear did you have on that day?
• Were you carrying anything in your hands?
• How were your eyes directed?
• When did you slip?
• Why were you walking in that area?
• How did you fall? What part of your body hit the ground first?
A final group of questions is about the extent of damages suffered by the plaintiff.
• Describe your medical history.
• What is the name of your medical provider?
• Have your activities been limited, since you got injured?
• Were you out of work, while recovering from your injury?
Tips for the accident victim that is going to be deposed
Have someone tape you while you are answering a series of questions. Study the tape. Note how you speak, gesture and move. Give thought to the message that is being sent by your body language.Practice establishing good eye contact. Try to focus your eyes on a spot between the eyes and the chin of the person that is asking you questions.
Stay aware of the way that your body can put up a barrier. Personal Injury Lawyer in Waterdown will ask you to try and avoid placing your arms over your chest; that makes you look defensive or uninterested. Do not cross your legs or ankles; that makes it look like you want to create a greater distance between you and the person that is asking questions.
Study the tape again. Can you identify actions taken by you that represent an attempt to release tension? Was there a time when you twisted your hair? Was there a time when you rubbed your neck or played with a pen?
Those are all motions that might be made by a nervous person, while he or she is responding to inquiries. Work on controlling such mannerisms, so that you do not do them when you get deposed. Ideally, you will discover a way to relate to your questioner.
Hopefully, you can get your questioner to respect you. That means developing a generous amount of self-esteem. If you do not look tense or distrustful, you should mimic the actions of someone that has developed a strong sense of self-esteem. If a questioner sees that you possess self-esteem, then he or she is not apt to pose demeaning queries. That should make it easier for you to give satisfactory answers.