Employers and their insurance providers will often request to take the depositions of Claimants in Workers’ Compensation Cases. This essentially is just a question and answer period where the employers through their attorney’s take sworn testimony. Said testimony is recorded by a court reporter and a transcript is prepared.
Having prepared for hundreds, if not thousands, of depositions, the Lawyers at the Law Offices of Craig L. Cook have a few tips to help ensure a Claimant’s deposition go smoothly. Here are a few of those:
Tell the truth:
This one seems pretty straightforward and simple, but we often find this to be a major issue in depositions. The person taking your deposition often has a lot of your information, including your medical records and background history. A deposition is sworn testimony and any mistruth during a deposition could be used to impeach your credibility at your hearing.
Keep it short, keep it simple:
We find that people often over-share when giving depositions if they say too much during depositions. Depositions are called “fishing expeditions” as lawyers often use them to find impeachment evidence to use against injured workers. Short concise answers prevent oversharing and help ensure you get out of your deposition in a timely manner.
Utilize your lawyer:
A lawyer from the Law Office of Craig L. Cook will attend your deposition to make sure that the process goes smoothly and to help the injured employee in anyway they can. This includes preparation and answering questions. The lawyer will also make sure that all questions are proper. At any point should you need a break to talk to your lawyer, you are entitled to one so long as you answer the question presented before asking for a break.
Depositions are stressful and difficult. The Lawyers at the Law Office of Craig L. Cook have together taken and defended thousands of depositions. Should you have any questions or concerns regarding an upcoming deposition in your Workers’ Compensation case, please reach out to a lawyer at the Law Office of Craig L. Cook to discuss your matter.
