Preparing for a Personal Injury Trial: Your Testimony

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, February 13, 2018 (Newswire.com) - Most people do not realize that being a plaintiff in a personal injury trial requires planning and a lot of work in order to make a good impression toward the judge and jury. In the event that your personal injury case goes to trial, you will definitely have to testify and it is highly likely that you will be the first witness. This article will discuss all you need to know with regards to having to testify at a personal injury trial.

It is important to realize that the jury will be looking to hear from you right off the bat and as a result of the manner in which you respond and act on the stand determines whether or not you sway the jury to believing that you deserve compensation to be awarded in your case. A Crowson Law Group attorney stated, “when it comes to giving testimony at trial the sheer idea of standing before people can be daunting to anyone. As a result, it is common for individuals to stumble over their words and get confused. However, a good lawyer will start preparing the plaintiff a few weeks in advance before the trial and this is key to succeeding while on the stand.”

When it comes to giving testimony at trial the sheer idea of standing before people can be daunting to anyone. As a result, it is common for individuals to stumble over their words and get confused. However, a good lawyer will start preparing the plaintiff a few weeks in advance before the trial and this is key to succeeding while on the stand.

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One of the key elements that most lawyers agree upon when it comes to preparing a client to testify is preparation and consistency. One article pointed out that, “there’s no such thing as being 'too prepared' for trial.” One of the first things any good lawyer will do is give the client a copy of their deposition and answers to interrogatories in order for them to read. It is necessary that the client become familiar with what they said at the deposition to ensure that the trial testimony is consistent with the deposition testimony.

Another important and key element to a good trial outcome is consistency. The Crowson Law Group attorney stated that “without consistency this allows defense attorneys to poke holes in your testimony during cross-examination when trial testimony conflicts with deposition testimony. Therefore, it is extremely important that the client’s deposition testimony be consistent with the trial testimony.”

After reading the deposition and interrogatories answers, the client will meet with their lawyer to prepare their testimony. In this regard, any good lawyer will meet with their client a number of times in order to prepare the client for testimony. One article states that “a good time frame for testimony preparation is about two hours, with a break in the middle.”

Another important element is practice - at first, the lawyer will practice specific parts of your testimony with you, thereafter, you might practice cross-examination. It has been said that a good cross-examination should really make you squirm. The last day before trial will be the final run through and this is when you and your lawyer put it all together and practice the testimony from start to finish. One of the secrets to trial testimony is that neither you nor your lawyer wants any surprises in the courtroom, therefore, on the stand, you know exactly which questions your lawyer is going to ask you and in what order. And importantly so, your lawyer knows what all your answers are going to be. When all else fails ‘stick to the script’; which will come in the form of a casual conversation between you and your lawyer.

If your aircraft personal injury case is going to trial, you will need qualified Alaska aircraft accidents lawyers to prepare you for trial.

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Crowson Law Group is a law firm with a track record of success.  If you are looking for top lawyers in Anchorage, Alaska, be sure to include Crowson Law Group on your list of firms to contact. For legal advice and representation as well as a free case evaluation contact top lawyers in Anchorage, Alaska today.

Source: Crowson Law Group