Benefits and Drawbacks of Witnesses in Long Island Personal Injury Cases

Updated on January 22, 2020

When accidents happen in Long Island and you’re stuck with significant medical expenses as a result, it’s essential to prove negligence against the liable party responsible for your accident if you hope to recover the compensation you deserve and prevent financial distress. You may know exactly who’s at fault for causing your accident, but it takes evidence to convince the judge and jury and win your case.

A personal injury lawyer in Long Island can help you gather evidence to support your claim in court. Strong evidence may include photographs, video footage, and the police report. Witness testimonies are a key component in personal injury lawsuits and can serve as a crucial piece of evidence if you hope to maximize your claim; however, there are drawbacks to having a witness if your witness isn’t strong.

They Provide a Different Perspective 

A witness can be beneficial in your Long Island personal injury case because they’ll provide a third-party perspective into what happened. Without a witness’ testimony, the judge and jury must determine who’s responsible for your accident based on your story and the defendant’s story. Other evidence in your case can help corroborate your story, but a witness can explain what happened firsthand. 

They Can Serve as Strong Evidence

When a witness is reputable, they can serve as another piece of evidence in your case. If you have photographs or video footage to support your story and a witness tells a story similar to yours, then the judge and jury are more likely to believe you over the defendant. The best way to maximize your claim in court is to make all the pieces of evidence in your case connect. 

They May Not be Reputable

The drawbacks of having a witness testify in your case is that you can’t always trust them to be reputable. Witnesses may lie or forget what they saw at the scene of the accident. You have no way of knowing what your witness will say when they get on the stand to testify and it’s possible that the facts they share won’t add up to the ones you’ve previously delivered.  

They May Hurt Your Case More Than They Help It

Even if a witness is reputable, it’s possible that they can hurt your case more than they help it. Your lawyer may have a specific strategy in place for proving negligence and maximizing your settlement, but a witness won’t be able to strategize. A witness must tell the whole truth when on the stand, and sometimes, the whole truth won’t be in the best interest of your case.

Speaking to an attorney before filing your claim is the best way to determine whether a witness will be beneficial to you. Your lawyer can also help you look for a witness you can trust. It’s important to remember that, although witnesses can be the winning component in many cases, it’s only good to have one if you can trust them fully.

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The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.