With every accident or injury comes the potential for a personal injury lawsuit. Accidents come in different forms, so always be aware – if you think that you have a personal injury case, Siler & Ingber is ready to hear your claim. An issue that attorneys take umbrage with is the lack of witnesses. It is always extremely helpful for a jury to come to a decision in the plaintiff’s favor if there are firsthand account witnesses. Firsthand witnesses could be the key to winning substantial earnings.
Witnesses are so important because they can provide testimonies in court, addressing the jury in favor of the plaintiff. This is meant to reassure the jury that what is being claimed occurred. Remember, they are UNDER OATH when they take the stand and firsthand accounts are always in favor of the plaintiff. The legal term used is a “layman” – defined as someone who has seen an injury take place with their own eyes. It doesn’t matter the kind of personal injury case one may have, they come in different forms as mentioned earlier, and these “laypersons” serve to enhance the plaintiff’s case while in court.
If you’re lucky enough to get an EXPERT witness, the chances of winning your case will skyrocket, given the experts proven credentials. Being able to have an expert witness represent your specific case with their immense proficiency in their related field is priceless. Ok – not literally priceless, but the chances of a jury believing the words of an expert witness greatly improves the plaintiff’s odds of winning the case. That’s what we do at Siler & Ingber, we ensure that we do everything in our power to provide our clients with every possible legal tool to win their case, including the usage of expert witnesses. Remember, these are specialists in their field with years of experience. The higher the rank in expertise, the better the chance for the plaintiff to win.
ATTENTION ALL FUTURE WITNESSES: always be aware of your surroundings, ensuring your own safety and potentially the safety of those around you. Take note of where you are, the time of day, relevant details to simply be aware, etc. Other steps one may take:
- Help the injured person in any way you can
- Provide your contact information to the injured party for future discussion
- If possible, take photos of the incident – this will help if/when the case goes to trial
- If the person is unable to respond or is incapacitated, whip out your phone and type what you see, being as detailed as possible. Voice memos work for this just as well
- Show up to court as needed as it will provide the plaintiff with supreme confidence
It’s not always easy to find a witness to corroborate one’s claim, which is why it is of paramount importance that necessary steps are taken to ensure at least one eyewitness that will testify for the plaintiff in court. Things of note to know about a witness are the following:
- Name, address, any relevant contact information, etc.
- Preparation – make sure the witness feels as comfortable as possible before speaking in court. The plaintiff and the witness must be on the same page regarding details of the incident, such as the time of day, location, people involved as well as how long the accident took place, etc. Sometimes, a witness will feel uncomfortable presenting in court. In these instances, the plaintiff must ask the witness to speak about the accident in-depth and in detail, while they write down their testimonial – then it must be signed by the witness.
- Know that the goal is to have this person testify on your behalf, so treat the potential witness kindly and with respect.
Contact us today at 1-877-529-4343, 1-516-294-2666 or schedule an appointment online at any time. There is NEVER a fee unless we recover money for you. Siler & Ingber refuses to rest and will continue to think outside the box for our clients.