What should you say in your deposition as a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant? What should you not say? These are questions you’ll probably ponder as you prepare for your expert witness deposition in a case. Below are some helpful tips that should set your mind at ease for your sworn testimony.
Five Deposition Tips for the PLNC
1. Be prepared. You cannot “wing” a deposition, even though maybe you could a test in nursing school. So, anticipate questions regarding every single fact surrounding the medical records you reviewed.
2. You will be asked about your education. Expect to provide an overview of your education which you could do using your resume or curriculum vitae. More importantly, you will likely be asked about whether you obtained education regarding the specific facts in the case you reviewed.
3. Your nursing experience is critical. You will most definitely be asked about your nursing experience. Specifically, you should be prepared to answer questions about your experience with the facts at issue. If your experience is limited, you should consider filling it in with research you have done regarding the facts.
4. Plan to discuss how many cases you have testified in and the types of cases. If this is your first time testifying, you’ll have less baggage. If you have testified in the past as a legal nurse consultant, be sure you know the specifics of those cases.
5. Anticipate the questions in advance so you can set your mind somewhat ease. Nothing worse than “dreaming up” an answer when multiple people are awaiting your answer and you feel anxious. You most likely will be testifying about your opinion regarding all healthcare providers, not just the nurse in question.
Think About These Tips
Now that you’ve read these five tips, go back over them because you will see these come up in almost every expert witness deposition. Become more at ease and you wll be a better expert witness!
P.S. If you’ve been deposed before, how many times for the plaintiff and how many for the defendant? (Try to aim for an equal number).
