In case of an accident, there is usually someone who sees what exactly happened and probably the cause of an accident. Due to the negligence of others, you might find yourself in a situation where you are managing damages caused by another person. It is your right to seek settlement for personal injury. In the proceedings. You need to provide proof that the accident was the defendants’ fault. One of the documents that can help you with this is a witness statement.
With that, it is vital to understand that there is a high possibility that a witness may be someone you are not familiar with. Dealing with such a witness can be challenging to some extent. However, with the following tips, you will get the support you need for your case.
- Ask the witness to give you a written statement
Alternatively, you can write the statement for him or her, then have them sign it for you and present it to your West Palm Beach personal injury lawyer. Note that a stranger may not be comfortable making an appearance at your court proceedings. More so, it may be somewhat challenging to convince them to put their work aside and come to provide a verbal statement. Luckily for you, there is the option of having them read it out for you as you write it down. Or, they can write the statement instead.
Note that this does not end here. To prove that this information has been provided by a witness and not you, you should get their signature. This is to prove the validity of the information.
- Ask them to provide you with their details
If you are not able to collect the statement immediately, you might have to come back later. Remember that you need this witness. You, therefore, need to find a way that you can keep in touch with them. The best shot at this is writing down their names, addresses, and telephone number. While at this, you should be careful not to be too pushy as they will develop cold feet. You need them, and the best thing you can do is make them feel comfortable.
Once you get this information, you can ask them when it is convenient for them to record a statement, or when you can give them a call.
- Be direct with your questions to get meaningful information
You are looking to get information that will aid in obtaining compensation for your personal injury accident. You, therefore, want to get information that will help you get to the bottom of things. You can ask your personal injury lawyer to assist you with formulating questions that will help you retrieve meaningful information.
With the insights above, you are in a position to correctly engage a witness and convince them to give you support for your case. Dealing with a stranger can be challenging, but the strategies above will make it effortless.