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It sure does. In fact, accurate witness and eyewitness testimony can make the difference between you getting the settlement you want and need and you walking away with nothing.
If you are ever involved in a car accident and the other party is at fault, you’ll do two things. First, you’ll gather as much evidence as possible. This includes the contact’s name and number of the person who hit you along with his or her address and insurance company information. Second, you’ll need to hire a good injury lawyer in Hamilton.
But sometimes statements from witnesses and eyewitnesses are what you need to ‘drive the nail in the coffin’ for your case and provide the evidence you need to get the settlement that you want. There’s a catch though, it must be accurate and reliable. Your personal injury lawyer will tell you that.
Why do you need a witness anyway?
Witnesses and eyewitnesses are not involved in your personal injury case at all. They just saw what happened. Therefore, they have no opinions and are have nothing to gain regardless of whether you win or lose your case. This is why juries are likely to believe their statements and the evidence that they can provide.
How do you define credibility?
Something is credible when you can believe or trust it. Your personal injury lawyer will tell you that. A witness is considered to be credible if his or her actions and statements make logical sense. You only want statements and evidence from credible witnesses. You may actually hurt your chances of getting a settlement if you include statements and evidence from shaky witnesses.
What affects a witness’s credibility?
These are the most important factors that affect a witness’s’ credibility:
● Are all of his or her testimonies, statements, and evidence consistent?
● Did the witness actually experience the events that he or she is testifying about?
● Can the witness accurately remember what happened in the personal injury accident?
● Does the witness appear to be telling the truth?
● Do the witness’s testimonies, statements, and evidence align with the statements, testimonies, and evidence that other people provide?
● How does the witness behave during the trial?
● Is the witness a neutral party from the standpoint of the personal injury accident?
● Has the witness ever been convicted of a crime in the past?
Personal injury lawyers know that these are basic qualifications that a witness must have in order to be considered credible.
How your personal injury lawyer can attack a witness’s credibility
Your personal injury lawyer will test a witness’s credibility through cross-examinations. For example, your lawyer can argue that a witness who charges a lot of money may be testifying only for the money. Your lawyer can also argue that a witness is not credible because she happens to be your mother. Your lawyer can use contradictions to weaken the credibility of a witness’s testimony. Now that you know just how important witnesses are, you know that you need to hire a personal injury lawyer, if you are ever involved in a personal injury accident.