How Personal Injury Attorneys Use Questioning To Obtain Information
Several things are vital to our success as personal injury attorneys. Among the things that are crucial to our success is effective communication. And among the most critical communication skills to master as a personal injury attorney is asking questions effectively. As personal injury attorneys, to increase our chances of achieving positive outcomes for our clients, we must ensure we ask questions in a manner that can enable us to gather as much valuable and relevant information as possible. We must also ensure we question everyone who can provide us with relevant and helpful information.
Below, we explain who our personal injury attorneys at The Pendas Law Firm question and the questioning techniques we use to obtain information.
Who We Question
In most personal injury cases, the following are the parties our personal injury attorneys at The Pendas Law Firm question to gather valuable and relevant information;
- The victim: We interview the personal injury victim to get their version of events. Also, the personal injury victim is the one who understands, better than anyone else, how the injury has affected them.
- The defendant: For instance, this could be a negligent driver.
- Witnesses: For instance, if your car accident happened on a busy street, we can track down the people who were on that street on that day and question them.
- Experts: Depending on the case, it may be necessary to question expert witnesses. For example, it may be necessary to interview an accident reconstruction expert if it is unclear how an accident happened. We may also need to interview economists, vocational experts, and medical experts.
Some of the Questioning Techniques We Use To Obtain Information
In order to ensure we get the most relevant and helpful information, the following are some of the questioning techniques we use;
Identifying a “Tell”
When a defendant or a witness is being questioned, they may do something that indicates they are lying or not telling the entire truth. As personal injury attorneys, we are always looking out for signs that show someone is lying or hiding information. Some common “tells” include;
- looking away when being questioned
- looking away when answering the question
- stumbling over words
As much as doing these things does not automatically mean someone is lying or hiding information, they are warning signs.
Asking Direct Questions
In order to get clear, specific answers, we ask direct questions. When preparing to question a defendant, witness, or another person, we compile a list of questions and go through them to ensure they are as direct as possible so we can get clear answers.
Rewording Questions
For example, if someone does not understand a question or misinterprets a question and gives an irrelevant answer, we reword the question. We also use this technique when people intentionally give an unclear answer. Rephrasing the question removes the possibility of misinterpretation and forces a person to provide a clear and specific response.
Repeating Questions
Often, we use this technique when someone gives an ambiguous answer. By repeating the question, the person realizes that they need to provide a direct response to proceed to the next question. Ultimately, the person answers the question accurately, and we move to the next question.
Contact Us for Legal Help
Our Fort Myers personal injury attorneys at The Pendas Law Firm have the skills and experience to use questioning to gather relevant and helpful information. We can help you get the answers you need from the defendant, witnesses, and others. Contact us today to discuss your case.
The Pendas Law Firm also represents clients in the Orlando, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Bradenton, Daytona Beach, Jacksonville, Miami, Naples, Tampa, Melbourne, and Ocala areas.
Source:
ibanet.org/lawyers-importance-communication#:~:text=Communication%20is%20an%20art%20rather%20than%20a%20science%2C%20and%20effective%20communication%20skills%20are%20essential%20to%20law%20practitioners.
