What is an Expert Witness?
An expert witness is a professional who contains specialized experience in a certain subject. During a case, expert witnesses are called to present their knowledge to support a claim. They can deduce how an accident caused injuries and how it occurred. This can be essential in substantiating the damages that caused a personal injury in a case.
How can Expert Witnesses Help?
When going to trial for your personal injury claim, an expert witness can be a significant factor in the success of your case. The testimony of the expert witness has the power to sway the judge and jury in your favor during litigation. Ultimately the expert witness could play a deciding factor in you receiving payment for your injuries.
What Type of Expert Witness is Best for a Personal Injury Case?
The expert witnesses you need strongly depends on the injury you experience. There are many factors involved in any personal injury case, therefore there are a variety of different expert witnesses available. The list below includes common expert witnesses used for personal injury cases.
Economist and Vocational Experts:
During a personal injury case, there are occasions when a person misses work due to their acquired injuries and could be entitled to wage loss compensation. An economist could be helpful in discerning the lost wages and future loss of income. A vocational expert could be beneficial in testifying on behalf of the person’s damaged earnings or their inability to maintain the same job due to consequences of the accident.
Accident Reconstructionist:
When the liability is in doubt in a personal injury case, a licensed accident re-constructionist can aid in determining how the accident occurred and who is at fault. These expert witnesses are especially trained to approach an accident using a purely scientific perspective.
Healthcare providers:
Healthcare providers play an active role in testifying on behalf of the extent and cause of a person’s medical conditions. This can be regarding permanent injuries and whether a person will need further medical attention in the future (i.e. injections, surgeries).
What Makes a Good Expert Witness
A significant quality of an expert witness is communication. The end goal of the expert witness is to successfully communicate complex topics of the personal injuries claim to the judge and jury. It is therefore crucial to choose an expert witness that has experienced testifying in the court because they will know the litigation process as well as be prepared for difficult cross-examinations.
