What Questions Will I Be Asked in a Personal Injury Deposition?
A typical auto accident deposition will include questions about your personal history and details of the accident. Knowing how to respond can maximize your chances of receiving the compensation you deserve.
What is an auto accident deposition?
A deposition is a formal legal procedure where an attorney asks questions of a person, either as the at-fault party, as a victim or a witness.
The purpose of this is to gather as much information as possible. The questions typically fall into three categories: personal details, facts about the accident itself, and the effects the wreck has had on the person’s life.
Telling the attorney about yourself
A deposition begins with the attorney asking about your background. Typical questions include:
- “What is your full name?”
- “At what addresses have you lived for the past 10 years?”
- “What is your educational history?”
- “What is your marital status?”
- “How many children (if any) do you have?”
- “How would you describe your overall health?”
- “Do you have any medical conditions that may have contributed to the accident or affected your eyewitness testimony?”
- “Are you employed? If so, where?”
The purpose of these questions is not to put you on the defensive. It’s to ensure the integrity of the legal process. By answering them truthfully, you establish yourself as an honest and stable person.
Telling the attorney about the accident
The deposition will then move on to questions about the accident. These typically include:
- “What was the time/day/location of the accident?”
- “From what direction were you coming?”
- “What was your intended destination?”
- “What was the traffic like?”
- “Did you see any traffic lights/stop signs/hazard markers nearby?”
- “How fast were you going?”
- “When did you first see the other vehicle?”
- “What were the points of collision between the vehicles (e.g., side, front, rear)?”
- “At what point on the road did the vehicles collide?”
- “What was your physical condition at the time of the accident? Had you taken any prescription medications, drank alcohol, or used any over-the-counter drugs in the recent past?”
These questions help to clear up any unresolved issues about the accident and determine who was at fault. It’s essential to answer them as truthfully as possible.
Telling the attorney about your injuries and medical treatment (if any)
Finally, the attorney will ask you about any injuries or medical conditions you have suffered as a result of the accident. These may include:
- “What injuries do you believe were caused by the accident?”
- “Did you suffer from any medical problems prior to the wreck?”
- “Do you believe that the accident aggravated your existing health conditions in any way?”
- “Where and with whom did you receive medical care after the wreck?”
- “What did you discuss with the care provider at the time of treatment?”
- “How much time elapsed between the accident and the point at which you sought medical care?”
- “How much do your accident-related medical bills total as of today?”
- “Did you notice any new or unusual symptoms soon after the wreck?”
- “How has the accident affected your life (professionally, personally)?”
These questions are intended to reconstruct the events of the accident and its aftermath as closely as possible. Again, proving prompt, accurate answers will maximize your chances of achieving a fair resolution.
Contact us today
Depositions can be confusing or even intimidating to those unfamiliar with how the legal process works. Having a skilled Pittsburgh personal injury lawyer on your side can make a world of difference to the outcome of your case.
Our attorneys have recovered more than $1 billion for their clients over the years. Their expertise can help you to get every penny of the compensation you deserve for your injuries, medical care, as well as pain, and suffering.
Get in touch with us today to schedule your free consultation.