Car accidents can actually be a lot more complicated than just the initial accident. As if car accidents weren’t bad enough, injuries, damages and legal cases all follow in the aftermath of an accident. A civil suit is a legal case that follows the damages in a car accident, and a deposition is a means of acquiring information following a car accident for said legal case.
Who Can Be Contacted and Present for a Deposition?
Anyone that was around during the time of the accident is eligible to be contacted for the deposition. Some of those people could include the passengers in the car(s) during the time of the accident, the police officers that were investigating the scene, professionals that were on the scene such as doctors and EMTs and, of course, the drivers in the incident. Along with the aforementioned groups of people, the witnesses of the accident are also available for the deposition.
There will also be a number of attorneys present as well, including the attorneys of the witnesses and the attorney who requested the deposition.
Where is a Deposition Conducted?
There are many potential arenas for a deposition hearing. In most cases, the rule is to have it somewhere near where the witnesses live; attorneys wouldn’t have them travel across the country just to meet for the hearing. Along with there being a number of options, as far as city and states go for the depositions, there is also no limit to the specific setting of the deposition.
Deposition Testimony is Given Under Oath
“Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?“
Every word during the deposition is recorded by probably the most important person at the hearing, the court reporter. Under the solemn oath above, the witness is required to tell all truths in regards to the case, under penalty of perjury.
What Type of Questions Should You Be Prepared For?
The goal of a deposition is to make clear who is at fault in the case of an accident. There will be a series of questions asked to parties present during the incident. The questions that are asked depend on whom they are being asked to. There will be more questions regarding the specifics of the driver to the passengers and questions involving the overall scene of the accident to the witnesses that were present during the time.
Some questions that could be asked to the passenger of one of the drivers are things like, “How do you know that driver? Had the driver taken part in anything through the day that would have made driving difficult for them? Is the driver generally a safe driver?”
To the witness: “From your perspective, can you tell us what happened? From your vantage point, who do you believe is at fault and why?” If you have been in an accident and you feel a need for a deposition, contact McMahan Law Firm for any and all questions along with a free case review.
