However, in auto accident cases and other injury claims, plaintiffs may need to call expert witnesses to testify on their behalf. Understanding when your accident claim may need an expert witness and how you can incorporate their testimony into your case can help you build a compelling argument for your right to compensation for injuries and losses you suffered due to an accident caused by another party’s negligence or fault.
What Are Expert Witnesses?
An expert witness refers to a professional called to testify in a legal action who has specialized knowledge, training, or experience relevant to specific issues in the case. Expert witnesses differ from fact witnesses, who can provide testimony describing events pertinent to the accident. Conversely, expert witnesses can explain technical concepts in interpreting the evidence in the case. In accident claims, parties may call various kinds of expert witnesses, such as:
- Accident reconstruction experts: Evaluate evidence in the case to offer an opinion as to the cause(s) of the accident
- Medical experts: Can testify about the nature or severity of an accident victim’s injuries or explain the mechanism for a plaintiff’s injuries.
- Engineering experts: May testify about product defects or other mechanical issues that may have caused or contributed to an accident.
- Vocational experts: Can opine about the plaintiff’s ability or inability to perform work
- Financial experts: Can testify about the value of a plaintiff’s lost future earning capacity or the present value of future expenses the plaintiff will incur, such as additional medical treatment.
When Do You Need an Expert Witness?
Although not every accident case will require expert witnesses, you may need to call experts when your case involves situations such as:
- Disputed liability: Accident reconstruction experts can explain how the various pieces of evidence in a case show who caused the accident.
- Severe or complex injuries: Medical experts can link injuries to the accident and discuss long-term effects, while vocational experts can discuss how injuries affect a plaintiff’s ability to work.
- Engineering issues: Engineering experts may identify design or manufacturing defects, shoddy repairs, or deferred maintenance as causes of an accident.
- Future economic losses: Economic experts can calculate the present value of a plaintiff’s future expenses or losses.
How Expert Witnesses Strengthen Cases?
An expert witness’s analysis of evidence can strengthen a party’s case by offering opinions grounded in technical knowledge or experience. Some of the ways that experts help present claims in accident cases include:
- Interpreting physical evidence to explain the cause(s) of an accident
- Creating visual reconstructions of the events in an accident
- Providing written reports to explain their opinions and findings
- Testifying at trial to explain technical concepts to the judge and jury
- Offering financial data to help calculate a plaintiff’s losses for determining a settlement or an award at trial
The Process of Working with an Expert Witness
An attorney can help clients work with expert witnesses in building their cases in accident lawsuits by:
- Identifying the right experts who have the credentials to bolster the credibility of their opinions
- Furnishing evidence and accident reports to the experts
- Working with experts to build a case that persuasively presents the client’s version of events
- Preparing experts for deposition and trial testimony, including anticipating questions that opposing parties may ask on cross-examination
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer Today
Expert witnesses can help plaintiffs’ claims in accident cases by explaining technical concepts. Contact Dreyer & Tinney Law Firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a knowledgeable personal injury attorney to learn more about the importance of expert witnesses in accident cases and what role they play in helping you secure your right to financial compensation.