It’s important to get as much information as possible to support your personal injury claim so that you can get as much money as possible to compensate you for your losses. Expert witnesses can be a great resource for specific and detailed information about injuries, negligence, and more.
If you are dealing with a personal injury claim and have questions, contact our personal injury attorneys today. We offer free initial consultations. Call us today at (702) 878-2889 or use our online contact form to reach out.
What Is an Expert Witness?
You might wonder what is an expert witness, how do they differ from a normal witness, and how they fit into the personal injury process. A normal witness, or “lay” or “fact” witness, may provide information about the facts that they have seen. They might offer details about what happened at an accident scene or how your injuries are impacting your life. They do not have any special knowledge or education other than their experiences.
An expert witness typically offers an opinion based on their specialized knowledge. They often have a high level of education and/or experience working in a specific field that allows them to give in-depth information about your case. They are more likely to accept their opinion as a potential fact because they have the experience to back it up.
Types of Experts
There are two types of experts that may be used in your case: consulting experts and testifying experts. Consulting experts offer your lawyer advice and guidance on an issue. They might review your case and help your attorney decide if it’s best to settle or push to trial. A testifying expert offers detailed reports about specific things, such as future medical needs, and may provide testimony at trial.
Common Experts Used in Personal Injury Cases
The legal team at Oronoz & Ericsson Injury Lawyers has handled thousands of personal injury cases, and we often consult with experts. They can give us an opinion based on experience and knowledge that is valuable to determining what steps we should take next.
Some of the experts we commonly use in personal injury cases include:
Medical Expert
This is usually a doctor, physical therapist, or specialist who may also be one of your treating physicians. They will review medical records and may examine you to provide an opinion about how your injuries have impacted you. They may also discuss whether you will need treatment in the future and rehabilitation.
Mental Health Expert
A therapist, counselor, social worker, or psychiatrist might give an opinion about damages for emotional or psychological distress. They may evaluate you and issue a report about how the accident has impacted you now and in the future. They can assist in proving pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of normal functions.
Accident Reconstructionist
This is often a scientist or engineer who uses models and computer programs to determine the cause of an accident. They may help find out the speeds of the vehicles and force exerted on your body during the accident. Accident reconstructionists can explain how an accident caused your injuries.
Economic Expert
An economist can explain how your injuries have impacted you financially and how they will continue to affect you in the future. They may determine likely future costs for expected medical treatment, future wage loss, loss of ability to work, long-term care costs, and more. An economic expert will determine all of the economic consequences of the accident.
Vocational Rehabilitation Expert
If your ability to work has been limited, then a vocational rehabilitation expert may be used to determine what you are able to do after the accident. They will review your medical records and may ask you questions as well to compare what you did before the accident with what you can do now. This is helpful when proving diminished earning capacity.
Highway Safety Expert
An independent engineer who specializes in highway safety may be used to determine what exactly happened in your accident. They might testify about road conditions or other situations that contributed to the accident.
Manufacturing Expert
If you were injured by a defective product, a manufacturing expert might be able to offer an opinion about how it caused your injuries. It can be difficult to prove negligence, or irresponsible actions, in these cases, so an expert is almost always needed.
Oronoz & Ericsson Injury Lawyers Will Use Every Resource To Fight For You
If you were injured by someone else’s actions, you deserve to be compensated. It can be difficult to prove who was at fault and how much money you deserve. We will use all of our resources, including knowledgeable experts, to get you what you deserve.
Call us today at (702) 878-2889 or use our online contact form.