Following a car collision, you might be entitled to compensation. However, in order to recover damages, you may need the help of expert witnesses. Expert witnesses can be essential to your case by helping the jury understand the facts of the case. To learn more about how expert witnesses in Columbia, MO car accident cases could help you, reach out to a dedicated lawyer. An experienced car wreck attorney from the AW Smith Law Firm.
An expert witness is one who has specialized knowledge in a specific field or area. A person could qualify as an expert on the basis of their knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education. Expert testimony must be the product of reliable principles and methods, and they must have been able to apply the principles and methods to the facts of the case reliably. Expert witnesses in Columbia car accident cases could help the jury understand the facts of certain issues in court proceedings.
There is a variety of expert witnesses a car accident attorney may use. Some expert witnesses can advise on the facts of the accident while others specialize in quantifying damages and presenting their findings to negotiating with insurance companies.
An accident reconstructionist will go to the scene of the wreck and make certain calculations to recreate the collision based on all evidence at the scene. By applying physics, mathematics, and quantitative research, they might reconstruct the collision, telling the jury, counsel, and judge the sequence of events and facts of the accident. They may present and explain causational factors like bad weather, intoxication, lack of rest, or the distraction of the at-fault driver.
A life-care planner is often a person who has a medical background and is able to determine what the cost of their future care might be if they have been injured and require continuing medical treatment. This kind of expert might also take into account the victim’s daily living activities and what it would cost for them to continue their regular activities while coping with their injuries.
A medical expert is someone who can testify as to the causation, extent, and severity of the injuries an individual suffered due to a collision. Their medical opinion can be invaluable in quantifying how extensive an injury might be.
An economist could be used to testify about the economic effects that a person’s injuries and collision had on the person’s economic and financial status because of their inability to work. These types of damages may be extensive. Once an expert economist has quantified these damages, a seasoned AW Smith Law attorney could use such information to fight for the best outcome for a victim.
An expert witness is allowed to have an existing relationship with the plaintiff. However, a litigator will often try to avoid using an expert with a personal relationship to the victim as it may give the opposition and jury a sense of bias in the expert testimony. If an expert is too close to a victim to give objective testimony, they may not be useful in a lawsuit.
The weight given expert witness testimony varies from case to case. Certain issues may arise in a car collision case that is somewhat complex. A layperson may not necessarily know the effects of a particular injury, but a medical expert could provide information in simple, understandable terms to help the jury members better understand the gravity of an injury. If an expert is able to establish that they have the education, training, and experience to deliver such a definitive opinion, their testimony will likely be given greater weight.
However, someone may not want an expert witness in their case if it would be cost-prohibitive. Furthermore, if legal counsel believes the expert witness’s testimony may not necessarily aid their case, they may not want to put their opinion on the record.
If you have been injured in a car accident, expert testimony may be able to aid you and your legal counsel’s case. Expert witnesses in Columbia car accident cases may be able to clarify the facts of the collision for the jury and judge. Call our firm today to schedule a consultation on your case.
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