An expert witness is a highly trained or experienced professional who has specialized knowledge on a subject that is relevant to a personal injury case. Expert witnesses are hired by attorneys to provide an independent view on a specific aspect of a case, to help establish the validity of a claim that is being made. Whether or not your case needs an expert witness is something you should discuss with a personal injury lawyer.
What Is an Expert Witness?
An expert witness is an individual with an advanced level of knowledge or experience in a particular field. Experts are often hired to provide specialized information about a subject relevant to a personal injury case based on their expertise. Expert witnesses can be hired as consultants to review the facts of a case or as testifying experts who speak before a judge and jury to present facts and opinions based on years of experience.
Many different types of expert witnesses can be called upon during a personal injury claim in Arizona, including:
- Medical expert
- Psychologist or psychiatrist
- Vocational rehabilitation expert
- Economic expert
- Manufacturing expert
- Social worker
- Car accident reconstruction expert
- Traffic flow expert
- Road engineer
The right expert witness can impact the outcome of a personal injury case. An expert can be highly convincing and compelling in his or her opinions on a subject, which can aid a judge or jury in understanding the cause of a victim’s injuries, the magnitude of the damage and other key details of the case. Hiring an expert witness can be especially important if your case involves technical, medical or financial issues that would benefit from being explained.
Do You Need an Expert Witness?
If your personal injury case goes to trial, your lawyer will hire one or multiple expert witnesses to strengthen your claim. During personal injury trials, the plaintiff and defendant both use expert witnesses to prove or disprove claims. Juries often need expert witnesses to explain complicated or nuanced subjects that are involved in a case.
For example, during a car accident case, a crash reconstruction expert may be hired to testify regarding how the crash must have occurred, the magnitude of the damage and what the defendant could have done differently to avoid the collision. Expert witness testimony can help a jury understand the key elements of a case and inform their decision regarding the defendant’s liability.
Even if your case does not go to trial, your lawyer may still recommend hiring an expert if this will benefit you, such as a medical expert who can testify as to the extent of your injuries and your prognosis for recovering in the future. Expert witnesses are especially common in cases involving catastrophic injuries that will have a foreseeable effect on the victim in the future.
The Benefits of Hiring an Expert Witness for Your Personal Injury Claim
If you need to file an automobile accident case, slip and fall premises liability lawsuit, product liability claim, or another type of personal injury case in Arizona, hiring an expert witness could make an important difference to the outcome. The experts that your attorney hires could help influence a judge or jury’s opinion in your favor. An expert witness can provide testimony that is credible and objective, especially in a highly specialized or complex case.
To find out if you need expert witnesses for your personal injury case, contact the Law Offices of John Phebus to schedule a free initial consultation with an attorney.