Preparing for an Injury Claim

Preparing for an injury claim can be overwhelming and difficult to do on one’s own but with the help of an attorney the process can be simplified. When filing a personal injury claim or having a personal injury claim filed against a suspect in an accident, there are 15 main items to remember or use when preparing to testify for a personal injury case.

The 15 points include:

1. Telling the truth
2. Answering only the question asked
3. Not to volunteer information
4. Fully answering questions that can hurt the opposition or help the case
5. Use a nine word magic answer
6. Always think about the question being asked
7. Obey the approximation rule
8. Do not guess before answering the question
9. Never say the words ‘never’ or ‘always,’
10. Always let the opposition’s attorney finish the question before answering
11. Always point out when interrupted
12. Make it known that the question is difficult to understand
13. Always be polite to the opposing counsel and the judge
14. Behave appropriately and dress appropriately
15. Avoid being trapped by the defense lawyers for the defendant.

Proper Court Etiquette

No matter whether or not the preparation for an injury claim is preparing for a deposition or for an appearance in court, everyone involved in the case should always dress appropriately. Showing up in jeans and a t-shirt will not only offend the judge, it will also show the jury that the person dressed in this way does not care about the situation or what happens to them. Always think about the question that has been presented. Do not answer right away, there is no time limit placed on a deposition or a trial, so answers don’t have to come as soon as the question is asked. Keep the answers to the questions as simple and short as possible. For instance, use answers such as ‘yes,’ ‘no,’ ‘I don’t understand the question,’ ‘I don’t know’ and ‘I’m not sure.’ Don’t give long, drawn out answers because the information being provided might be wrong or misconstrued.

Preparing Your Answers

One of the most important parts of a personal injury claim that the victim must be prepared for is the ability to answer questions regarding the accident and the pain that the victim is suffering from as a result of the accident. The victim should be able to easily describe the amount of pain they are suffering from, where the pain hurts the most, where the pain hurts the least, how long they have been suffering from the pain, what kind of pain is it, is the pain constant, is the pain sharp, is the pain dull, has the pain ever gone away, where on the body is the pain present and most lawyers will make the victim rate the pain on a scale from one to 10.

Never Guess Answers

Never guess about an answer to a question raised by the opposing attorney. Guessing an answer can lead to an incorrect answer, which could cause the charges to be dropped and the case to be thrown out altogether. If the plaintiff or the defendant doesn’t know the answer to a question there is nothing wrong with admitting that the person being asked a question doesn’t know the answer. There is nothing wrong in admitting a lack of knowledge about a certain subject. The person from the other side of the case is not the friend of the either the defendant or the plaintiff, depending on who they are representing. This doesn’t mean that the person being asked the questions should be rude to the opposing attorney. That attorney might have a strong influence on whether or not the case is settled or if it goes to trial.

• If you are considering filing a Personal Injury Claim, Submit your Case for a Free Review from a Personal Injury Lawyer in your area. This website is for informational purposes only, and nothing stated here should be taken as legal advice.