Witness Preparation from Another Perspective

The importance of witness preparation applies whether you are the Defendant in the litigation or the Plaintiff.  Here is a link to a good article on witness preparation from the perspective of the Plaintiff. www.tlrcblog.com/2007/06/articles/-case-work-up/tips-on-defending-personal-injury-depositions/ In his post, Tips on Defending Personal Injury Deposition, Ron Miller provides 6 tips on how to prepare a Plaintiff for his deposition.  From my experience, his advice for Plaintiffs is right on target.  When I take a Plaintiff's deposition, the main piece of information I am looking for is what type of impression this individual will have on a jury.  To me, this is even more important than what the Plaintiff says about the accident or his injuries.  As a defense lawyer, I can always deal with his testimony regarding the facts.  What can be much more difficult to deal with is how he will present as a witness.  A Plaintiff that makes a good witness in his deposition will enhance the value of his case and make it more likely to settle.  The converse is also true.  A Plaintiff who makes a poor witness will decrease the chances that his case will settle.  Fortunately, for me, most lawyers do not spend much time preparing their clients to be good witnesses.  This is a universal problem on both sides of the docket.