Benefits of Conducting Depositions

July 27, 2016 | By Colombo Law

Each year, there are thousands of accidents or incidents causing serious bodily injury as a result of another individual’s negligence. Many injured parties rightfully initiate civil actions to obtain compensation for their injuries. However, every civil action case, including personal injury cases, turns on evidence. All admissible evidence has the potential to make or break a case. In successful cases, presenting strong evidence relating to negligence or injuries will allow you to obtain the maximum amount of relief available for your injury.

One powerful tool for gathering evidence is through discovery. There are many different forms of discovery, one being depositions. Depositions are a beneficial way to collect evidence, so long as you are represented by an experienced attorney. If you or your loved one has been injured in an accident or incident, contact Colombo Law today.

Depositions have a variety of benefits. These include:

• Providing a unique opportunity to gauge a witness: Many times, attorneys do not have the opportunity to speak with or question the opposing party or other witnesses. A deposition prior to the actual trial date allows your attorney to develop some insight regarding the potential witness’ temperament, ability to answer and comprehend questions, as well as the overall impression that may be conveyed to jurors should the witness testify. This information is beneficial in preparing for trial and how to proceed with questioning during the trial. Ultimately, having an understanding of the opposing party and their witnesses may strengthen your case and probability of recovery.
• Gathering key information: Depositions are not conducted in every case, particularly those cases in which there are only legal issues in dispute. Depositions are designed to gather testimony and gain clarification on certain facts that are either disputed or unknown. Typically, depositions will have witnesses expand on allegations made or information provided in other types of discovery (such as written interrogatories or production of documents). Gathering expanded information during a deposition is sometimes invaluable as parties are not always prepared for extended testimony at this stage of litigation and may expose some inconsistencies in testimony. The more prepared your attorney is for your deposition, the more beneficial the deposition will be.
• Depositions create a binding record: Depositions are conducted in the presence of a court reporter. During a deposition, witnesses are sworn in and are under an obligation to tell the truth. The court reporter then transcribes all the testimony provided and transmits a copy of the same to the parties upon request. This becomes a binding record. This is beneficial as there is an official record of statements made should any inconsistencies develop in the future.

Colombo Law: Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys

When you or your loved one has been injured in a devastating accident or incident, you need an experienced personal injury attorney to help fight your case. All of our attorneys are experienced personal injury lawyers who have helped thousands of individuals recover the maximum amount of compensations for their injuries. We want to help you win your claim. Our attorneys are available to assist clients in Morgantown, Fairmont, Clarksburg, Bridgeport, Kingwood, Grafton, Weston, Philippi, Buckhannon, Elkins, Parkersburg, as well as Monongalia, Marion, Harrison, Preston, Taylor, and Lewis County. For a risk-free consultation, contact Colombo Law today.