Understanding The Importance Of An Expert Witness To Your Personal Injury Case

Blog

One of the things that can make or break a personal injury case is the presence of expert witnesses. Without one, the case can turn into their word versus yours. Here's what you should know about expert witnesses.

Not Your Typical Kind of Witness

An expert witness isn't like one of the witnesses that saw your accident. Those types of witnesses are important to your case as well, but you will still need an expert.

An expert witness is an expert in a narrowly defined field. This person is someone who has education, training, licensing, and a practice in a particular field of study. They do not have to bear witness to an accident, but they can corroborate a narrative through technical knowledge and science.

There are several types of expert witnesses. For automobile accidents, the types of experts that can help the most are

  • Medical specialists
  • Automotive experts
  • Engineers

These kinds of specialists can show that your injury was definitely from the accident. They can also prove the accident happened as you say it did.

Why You Need an Expert Witness

An expert witness isn't always necessary, but they can become beneficial in proving that your story is true. They can help a judge come to a conclusion in your favor. They can help prove your story to the defendant's insurance company.

Expert witnesses serve to strengthen your claim. Often they can strengthen a case to point where it leaves no room for doubt.

An expert witness can do some or all of the following:

  • Provide expert analysis and opinion on the case
  • Clear up any confusion about how events could transpire
  • Provide evidence based on technical expertise

In general, an expert witness can help a judge, jury, or insurance company to support your claim or at least see there's merit to your claim.

How to Find an Expert Witness

Finding an expert witness isn't all that difficult. However, finding the right expert witness for your case isn't always easy. You will have to go through any of the many expert witness directories found online.

But before you can choose one, you will have to

  • research their background
  • check for references
  • make sure there are no conflicts
  • and then schedule interviews.

In most cases, you should leave the finding of an expert witness up to your lawyer. Car accident lawyers like Master Weinstein Shatz Moyer, P.C. often have go-to expert witnesses that they already have a rapport with. In addition, your lawyer will know if it's feasible to hire an expert witness at all.

Share

16 October 2015

Stay Calm and Keep Fighting

When you get into a serious car accident, things can become complicated quickly. In addition to worrying about other lawyers and problems with your vehicle, you might also be left with serious injuries that keep you from enjoying your life. On top of everything else, you might be left with a huge stack of medical bills, and it can be hard to know what to do next. I want you to understand that there is hope, which is why this blog is all about hiring an attorney. By using this advice, you might be able to streamline your case and enjoy a larger settlement.