As a result of the ongoing need to physically distance due to COVID-19, the personal injury lawyers at Miller Thomson LLP have shifted formal questionings under oath to virtual platforms in order to keep our clients' claims moving forward. In this post, we explain five simple steps to help you prepare for a virtual questioning.

1. Meet with your lawyer

Your lawyer will arrange a time to meet with you prior to the questioning to give you an overview of the process. This will include explaining what is expected of you, practicing with the technology together, preparing you to deliver your evidence effectively, and answering any questions you may have.

2. Get comfortable with the technology

Get comfortable with the technology before your questioning. This includes ensuring your video and audio are reliable and of good quality.

The court reporter will be taking a live transcript of the questioning, so it is best that all technical difficulties and questions are addressed with your lawyer prior to the questioning. This way, the transcript will only contain your evidence and can be used more effectively in settlement negotiations or at trial.

3. Prepare your space

Pick a quiet room with a door that can be closed to exclude anyone at home and prevent interruptions. Try to avoid back-lit environments, such as a window behind you, so you can easily be seen by the opposing lawyer and the court reporter.

4. Know who to contact

Test your equipment again at least one hour before the start of questioning to make sure everything is working properly. If not, make sure you know how to contact your lawyer to address the issue.

If there is an interruption in the video or audio feed during the questioning, you must contact the court reporter by telephone or email immediately. Keep the court reporter's contact information in front of you in case you run into any technical issues.

5. Book off the entire day

We recommend that you plan for the questioning to take the entire day so you can properly give your evidence and not feel rushed.

It is difficult to predict exactly how long the proceedings will take because it often depends on how you respond to questions. It is also important to allow time for potential technical issues that may arise.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.