Episode #108 - Working with Traumatized Witnesses

Dr. Alyssa Parker

Dr. Alyssa Parker, Litigation Consultant and an experienced Clinical Psychologist, joins Dr. Bill Kanasky, Jr. to talk about working with witnesses who are dealing with trauma associated with a catastrophic accident or fatality. Alyssa and Bill discuss mistakes that the defense side often make with these emotional and traumatized witnesses, including ignoring or downplaying the suppression or avoidance of the memories of the traumatic event. They also talk about the necessity for these traumatized witnesses to get treatment for their trauma but how the stigma of therapy and mental health issues often limits how many seek out treatment. Lastly, Alyssa and Bill provide insights on what defense attorneys can do as they work with these traumatized witnesses and how each witness needs to be assessed in advance of any discussion about the litigation or preparing for their deposition testimony.