Lay Witness and Expert Witness Depositions in Personal Injury Cases: Advanced Deposition Techniques

Description

Effective deposition skills are critical to a successful personal injury practice. Information gained during depositions of lay witnesses and expert witnesses impacts trial strategy and settlement discussions. Obtaining or protecting critical information during depositions is key to a positive—or negative—case outcome.

The value of deposition testimony depends very much on the attorney’s approach. In that regard, personal injury litigators must hone their skills with practiced techniques to elicit testimony and evidence critical to a favorable disposition of the case for their clients. Counsel must be particularly proficient in the techniques of restatement, exhaustion, boxing-in and summarization. In addition, case framing strategies should be utilized to properly highlight facts from adverse witnesses that are critical to winning the case.

If implemented correctly, these techniques will give personal injury litigators the best shot at gathering vital information from even the most difficult or evasive deposition witnesses. Conducting depositions using these techniques can also provide information needed to impeach opposing witnesses during trial or help shape a winning settlement strategy.

Listen as our authoritative panel of personal injury attorneys discusses effective techniques for taking and defending depositions of lay and expert witnesses, including how to leverage the advanced techniques of restatement, exhaustion, boxing-in, case framing and summarization, and how to effectively use deposition testimony during discovery, mediation, settlement negotiations and trial.