The Role of Expert Witnesses in Personal Injury Cases

Part of navigating the personal injury process involves building a strong case. Unlike criminal scenarios, civil actions require the plaintiff or injured party to prove negligence to recover compensation for their damages.

It's helpful to work with an injury lawyer in Greenville if you have sustained significant injuries due to the negligence of another person. Your attorney will take over every aspect of your case, including the investigation and gathering of evidence.

Even though you may have been able to obtain some of the evidence yourself through the police report, your medical records, and photos and videos of the accident scene, your lawyer will take it a step further. They will bring in expert witnesses to strengthen your case, and these experts could be the tipping point you need to get the higher settlement you deserve for your injuries.

What Do Expert Witnesses Do in Personal Injury Cases?

The role of expert witnesses is integral to building a strong case since these types of witnesses are experts in their respective fields and can provide specialized knowledge along with their professional assessment of the situation. Much of what they do will be related to their area of expertise but all of them will analyze complex evidence related to the case.

Medical experts can include physicians, surgeons, or medical specialists, such as radiologists, to testify about the injuries of the victim, the victim's treatments, and their expert analysis of the long-term prognosis. Accident reconstructionists recreate accident scenes and analyze them in-depth to determine how they occurred.

There are also psychological experts, vocational rehabilitation experts, economic experts, forensic experts, and many others who may be called in, depending on the factors of the case. When expert witnesses are utilized, they will need to explain the technical information in simplified terms that the judge and the members of the jury can comprehend. Their ultimate duty is to provide credible testimony, which often has a significant impact on the outcome of a case.

Here is a deeper look at the duties experts provide in personal injury cases:

Provide Specialized Knowledge

When someone is named as an expert witness in a personal injury case, they come armed with specialized knowledge from working in their field. Depending on their area of expertise, they may be performing complex calculations, analyzing data, and recreating the scene of the accident. They are expected to apply industry standards that would be congruent with their peers when providing their professional input.

Interpret and Explain Complex Evidence

Expert witnesses must also take a careful look at more complicated forms of evidence and be prepared to explain their findings. They may be tasked with reviewing medical records, accident reports, surveillance footage, and other items.

The items they must review tend to be highly technical, and the judge and all members of the jury need to understand what their findings mean. The experts must simplify this technical information in layman's terms, and the more complex the material they must share, the more challenging it can be.

Expert witnesses often rely on using visual aids, such as charts, diagrams, and physical models, to help them explain complex concepts. This helps make the case easy to understand even for those who are not experts, allowing everyone to make a clear and informed decision.

Recreate the Accident

In car accident cases, accident reconstructionists must possess a firm grasp of physics, engineering, and forensic science to accurately recreate how the accident occurred. It helps prove who was at fault, and for victims who are suffering from life-altering injuries, it can be what the judge and jury need to see to decide in the plaintiff's favor.

Accident reconstruction experts rely on advanced computer modeling software, allowing them to generate 3D simulations. They use data obtained from the assessments of vehicle damage, black box data, and information from the police report and witness statements to create their presentations.

Assess Injury Extent and Severity

One of the biggest factors in determining compensation for an injured party is the extent and severity of the injuries sustained and their long-term impacts. Medical experts are instrumental in this process as they review medical records, conduct physical examinations, and even rely on consultations with other specialists to give a comprehensive evaluation of the long-term effects the injuries will have on a victim's life.

Evaluate Financial Losses

When economic experts are called in for a personal injury case, they can give a detailed analysis of the financial impacts suffered by a victim as a result of the injuries caused by the defendant. They will examine the extent of lost wages, estimate future medical costs, assess long-term economic effects, and issue their expert opinion on the amount that it would take to cover the financial losses incurred as a result of the defendant's negligence.

Present Credible Testimony

Every case will have unique factors, and no matter what those may be, expert testimony plays a vital role in adding more credibility to support the plaintiff's claim. When your attorney brings in expert witnesses, they prepare their testimony by taking the time to review all of the materials relevant to your case.

From there, they create reports and get ready for cross-examinations. When it is time for them to provide their testimony, they will back up their opinions with references using their experiences in their field, citing relevant studies, or presenting the elements of industry standards to uphold their testimony.

Will Your Personal Injury Attorney Hire Expert Witnesses in Your Case?

Expert witnesses will not be needed in every case, but if your case is complex, you can expect that your lawyer could bring in experts to testify. Generally, the more severe your injuries are, the more likely it will be that you'll have at least one expert brought in to share their opinion.

Your personal injury attorney will review your case and determine the steps to take in the process. If you have recently suffered injuries at the hands of a careless person, it's a good idea to speak with a lawyer to find out your options.