From pleadings and discovery to a trial and possible appeal, there are many facets to a civil lawsuit. Fortunately, clients can rely on the support of their McKinney personal injury attorney to navigate each phase of a lawsuit. At Lucé Law, PC we have represented people and businesses with many types of cases, working diligently to secure fair compensation. And among the various strategies at our disposal is the use of expert witnesses.
When you are trying to prove something in your personal injury case that is a bit complicated, you may rely on an expert witness. An expert witness is someone who is a specialist in their field who can present their opinion about something relating to your lawsuit. Expert witnesses are mainly used in a trial to help show the judge or jury some point of view of how a certain thing could have happened.
What Are the Benefits of Calling an Expert Witness?
When you hire a personal injury attorney, they are likely to have access to expert witnesses from various fields.
- Expert witnesses often have excellent communication skills.
- Expert witnesses can analyze the available evidence and facts.
- Expert witnesses add credibility to a case.
- Expert witnesses help attorneys develop a stronger case.
- Expert witnesses can provide an impartial, objective opinion.
When to Call an Expert Witness
In a trial, a witness cannot give an opinion on a particular piece of evidence that requires special knowledge or training without being qualified as an expert witness. For example, if you are suing for an injury that occurred during a hit and run accident, you may call an expert witness to discuss the skid marks and what their thickness and length can tell you about an accident. This is different from a lay opinion, which is based on common knowledge. You don’t need an expert witness to prove that a car was going fast since a reasonable common person understands what “fast” means. You do need an expert witness to prove that based on skid marks, the car weighed approximately 2200lbs and had a rear axis length of 3ft. The main difference between an expert and lay witness is the expert’s ability to provide opinion evidence, rather than just evidence of his or her perception.
How to Find an Expert Witness
Depending on why you need an expert witness, there are many professionals, researchers, and scientists that are often called on to be expert witnesses in their field. Your attorney will be able to recommend expert witnesses that would be useful in your case. Expert witnesses should be strategically chosen since their fee can be rather high. Talk to your attorney about whether an expert witness would be a good fit for your case.
Common Examples of Expert Witnesses
Expert witnesses will be highly knowledgeable about their field. The expert witness called upon will have experience that pertains to the case in question. For example, a product liability lawyer may call on an engineering expert witness to determine errors in the product’s manufacturing process. Similarly, medical experts are crucial in determining the extent of injuries following an auto accident or workplace injury. Other examples include experts in forensics, finance and psychology.
Trusted Personal Injury Attorneys in North Texas
Joe Lucé is an experienced personal injury attorney helping clients located across North Texas. If you want to discuss expert witnesses, auto accidents, workplace injuries or civil litigation, don’t hesitate to contact us. Call Lucé Law, PC at (972) 632-1300 or request a free legal consultation now.
