What to Do When A Defendant Lies
Posted Sunday, April 19, 2015 by Chris Thayer
While you might feel completely frustrated if a defendant lies about an accident, our personal injury lawyer Seattle WA can provide you with specific help in this situation. The person might not be forthright about what happened to cause the accident. He or she might not want to accept responsibility and might put the blame on someone else even when his or her involvement was obvious. The claims adjuster or insurer might believe the witness and deny your claim. You will then need to litigate the case with the help of your lawyer and possibly even take it to trial. Our attorney has had similar cases when a defendant was less than honest and handled them effectively.
Confronting a Defendant
The truth will probably come to the surface, and the case will be resolved. Your attorney will look for other witnesses and evidence to back your version of events. However, you are not allowed to contact these individuals while the case is going through the court process, or you risk your entire case.
Possible Options for an Attorney
While you might not be able to control what the other party does, opposing counsel bears some responsibility in the matter but only if he or she knows that the person intends to commit perjury. The lawyer might try to convince the client not to lie on the stand. However, the person might ignore their attorney’s sage advice and proceed to take the stand despite the wishes of counsel. In certain cases, the lawyer might then decide to withdraw as legal representation. However, the next attorney will find him or herself in the same situation. A lawyer might also consider telling the court that the client plans to commit perjury. This causes additional problems because the lawyer will then breach his or her duty to keep matters confidential. In addition, the court has still not resolved specific laws regarding an attorney’s duty to a client.
Contact Our Personal Injury Lawyer Seattle WA at (866) 884-2417 A lying defendant poses specific challenges for your legal counsel. Discuss your situation with Chris Thayer. Our accident attorneys Seattle are willing to provide suggestions on how to proceed in this case.