Car Accident Deposition: 3 Of The Most Common Questions Asked
Jill Cohen
3 of the Most Common Questions Asked in a Car Accident Deposition
Capital Reporting Company handles many different types of cases, but one very common case type arises from a car accident. When we handle cases for car accident lawyers, we see a lot of questions that are asked. Below are the top 3 questions we see in our transcripts:
1. Describe the car accident: Car accident lawyers always seem to ask the question, “How did the car accident occur?” Parties typically describe the speed that they were going, the direction, and the mechanics of how the car accident actually occurred. Both sides are asked this question, because there may be a dispute as to how the accident occurred. This is referred to as “liability” which means who was at fault in the car accident.
2. Were there any witnesses?: Oftentimes, car accidents have witnesses. This may be a passenger in a vehicle, or an uninvolved bystander. In cases where the facts of the accident are in dispute, identifying witnesses may help the trial lawyers figure out exactly what happened in the accident. These so called witness depositions will include a line of questioning around how the car accident occurred, and who was at fault.
3. Was the plaintiff injured? During the deposition of the plaintiff (i.e., the injured victim), the question of damages always arises. Was the plaintiff injured, and if so, how badly. These types of questions can explore the nature of the injuries, how long treatment lasted, the amount of the medical bills, and the condition of the plaintiff today. In a small case, where the injuries did not require extensive treatment, the deposition may be shorter. However, in bigger cases with substantial injuries, the deposition may last longer and be more extensive.
Car accident lawyers in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, as well as nationally from San Francisco to Chicago, frequently litigate their cases, and with that litigation comes depositions. There are some common themes that arise during these depositions, and these themes are found across Baltimore depositions, Chicago depositions, and San Francisco depositions alike.
