If you have been injured in a car wreck because of someone's careless driving, you may need to look beyond the compensation offered by the insurance company. You should understand that pain and suffering and your lost wages are two areas of compensation that are only available through a personal injury suit, or at the least the threat of a suit. The best case scenario would be to have a suitable offer from the other side, and in fact quite a few cases are settled out of court, but in some cases you must proceed with your court case. While picking a personal injury attorney is a smart move to make, some participation from you is needed if you are to have a successful claim process. Read on to learn how you can play your part in the personal injury trial process.
Get Ready to Plead Your Case
When the big day finally comes, you must be prepared. In most cases, months have probably passed since the day of your accident, so you will likely need to spend some time refreshing yourself on the events of the day. If you have been keeping an accident journal, the time has come to put it to use. Look back over your entries and assemble all the other paperwork related to the accident, your medical treatment and anything relating to it. To help get you ready, your legal team may hold a question and answer practice session with you beforehand.
Testifying Tips
- Be careful of what you say: Listen carefully to each question, and answer only what is asked. Do not ramble on and on. Do not add extra information. Stick to the facts only.
- Be mindful of the other side: They may try to get you confused and flustered, which could cause you to say something you had not intended to say. They may fire questions at you so rapidly that you get confused. Don't be shy about asking for questions to be repeated, and take your time when answering them. Avoid answering open-ended questions; ask for clarification. If you do end up misspeaking, inform the judge immediately so that a correction can be entered into the record.
- Be mindful of courtroom etiquette: Only speak when spoken to by the judge or by an attorney when you are on the stand. Never approach the judge's bench without invitation. When answering questions, turn your head and answer the question while looking at the judge, or the jury if one is present.
Speak to a personal injury attorney to learn more about what to expect for your big day in court. You can also visit websites like http://brittattorney.com/.
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