- Objections Definition in Personal Injury Law
- What Is the Legal Definition of Objections?
- How Do Objections Relate to My Personal Injury Claim?
- How Can I Talk to a Personal Injury Attorney About My Case?
Objections Definition in Personal Injury Law
In legal terms, an objection is the process by which one party takes exception to some statement or procedure. The court can sustain—or allow—the objection, or a judge may choose to overrule it.
Typically, a lawyer protests the actions of the opposing counsel by objecting to the introduction of evidence, a line of questioning, or a procedural issue.
In a personal injury case, your lawyer may use this tactic to fight any improper statements or actions proposed or threatened by the insurance company’s legal team. However, the judge has the final word on whether the objection has merit.
At Berger and Green, our personal injury attorneys have experience protecting our clients’ rights in court. For help with your case, call 412-661-1400 today.
What Is the Legal Definition of Objections?
In court, according to the Allegheny County Bar Association, objecting is a way to call the court’s attention to improper evidence or trial procedure. The overriding purpose of objection is to keep bad evidence out of a legal proceeding.
For an objection to be valid, its target must violate a courtroom procedure or the rules of evidence. Resolving an objection requires a ruling by a court, which either sustains or overrules the objection. This ruling will come immediately from the judge after a lawyer raises an objection.
How Do Objections Relate to My Personal Injury Claim?
In a personal injury case, our attorneys use objections during depositions and in court to protect your legal rights and your claim.
For example, if the insurance company’s lawyers attempt to introduce improper or irrelevant evidence or ask questions that are not relevant to the case, we can object. However, the insurance company’s lawyer can also object to evidence we wish to introduce.
The insurance company will do everything possible to avoid paying you. To that end, their lawyers may attempt to ask questions designed to embarrass, discredit, or intimidate you in some way. Objections can protect you from these tactics.
Objections During a Deposition
During a personal injury case deposition, the opposing counsel has significant latitude to ask you questions of all sorts. They often use this autonomy to drag the questioning on for hours, in an attempt to wear you down.
They cannot, however, ask questions to intimidate you or cause embarrassment. They also cannot violate your privacy with their questioning. If they do so, we will lodge an objection.
Objections in Court
During a trial or other court proceeding related to your personal injury claim, we can object to questioning—of you or any other witness—if a question is not relevant to the case. We can also object if a question is misleading, antagonistic, or it requires you to speculate on the answer. We can also object if the opposing counsel attempts to introduce evidence that is prejudicial or inflammatory—even if the evidence is relevant.
How Can I Talk to a Personal Injury Attorney About My Case?
The personal injury attorneys of Berger and Green understand how to use objections to protect your legal rights and prevent the insurance company from undermining your right to fair compensation.
Contact our office today at 412-661-1400 to talk to one of our Pennsylvania personal injury attorneys.
