The Lying Defendant
It is unfortunate, but sometimes defendants lie about causing the accident. This can be very frustrating to the accident victim, who is expecting an apology and not perjury. I tell my clients not to worry about it. While it is true that a lying defendant can convince the insurance adjustor to delay paying a strong case, typically, a lying defendant has no effect on the outcome of the case, except s to increase the amount of settlement or jury verdict, or to force the defense attorney to admit liability.
An experienced lawyer knows that a lying witness is worse than no witness at all. Getting caught in a lie is worse than saying nothing at all. Though it is by no means easy to catch a liar in the act, that is what good lawyers do. We did not get where we are without being able to spot a liar, and to convince the adjustor, the insurance defense attorney, or the jury, that the defendant is lying.
The most reward comes from proving the defendant is a liar in open court. This raises the possibility of an sizable jury verdict, as jurors don’t like to be lied to, either. Typically, though, once an insurance adjustor realizes the defendant has been less than candid, the adjustor will try to settle the case quickly. But we, and not they, are in the driver’s seat, and have the upper hand in settlement. Our rule of thumb is, if the defendant lies, show me the money.
Call O’Bryan Law where an experienced Richmond personal injury lawyer can make a difference in your life.