When pursuing a claim of medical practice, you may need to give a deposition. A deposition is a statement that you make regarding the events of your case. In short, it is a way for you to tell your side of the story.
During the course of a medical malpractice case, attorneys representing the hospital or doctor may question you. They will have an opportunity to find out from you what it is that you are claiming in this case, what happened to you and what injuries you may have suffered as a result of the situation. According to Physician Leadership, they also may try to find out the type of treatment you received because of the injuries that you have suffered.
Where it occurs
The deposition may occur in the office of the attorney who is representing the medical practitioner. It is often little more than a question and answer session where the attorney sits across the table from you. Your attorney may be sitting with you, and there will likely be a court reporter to take down all the information so there is a record to refer back to after the session has ended. In some cases, the court or attorneys may videotape the session.
After the deposition ends
Your attorney may give you detailed instructions on what to do after the deposition ends. This may include eventually reviewing the transcript of the deposition to ensure it is accurate and free of errors. If there are errors, or if you need to make any changes, your attorney may guide you through the process of making those changes official. Any changes made to the transcript may require your signature.
A deposition is an important part of a medical malpractice case, but it is only one step. Once you send your signed deposition back to your attorney, you may receive further instruction on how your case is likely to proceed from there.