The Different Types of Expert Witness Testimony Commonly Used
When you’ve been hurt by someone else’s wrongful act, you have the right to file a lawsuit to seek full and fair compensation for all losses suffered. Your attorney will move swiftly to gather and preserve all physical evidence supporting your claim and to gather witness statements. Often, though, a key component of a successful personal injury claim involves the testimony of an expert witness.
The Different Types of Expert Witness Testimony
There are generally two principal components of a personal injury claim—the determination of liability and the proof of losses suffered. Expert witnesses may be used for both of these purposes:
- The determination of liability—Often, identifying exactly what happened can be difficult. You may have eyewitnesses, but they can tell different stories, based on where they were. It’s common in many personal injury claims, particularly with motor vehicle accidents, to bring in an accident reconstruction specialist, someone who can look at all the physical evidence (skid marks, damage to vehicles, etc.) and determine liability. Some types of personal injury claims, such as medical malpractice claims, often require an expert witness to testify as to the standard of care a medical professional should have provided.
- The assessment of damages—The two most commonly used experts for the calculation of losses include medical specialists and financial experts. A medical expert will typically testify regarding both the cause of a specific injury, as well as the potential consequences or complications that might reasonably be expected in the future. A financial expert will testify regarding the full costs of an injury, both now and in the future.
Contact Howard D. Popper, P.C.
At Howard D. Popper, P.C., we can help protect your rights. For a free initial consultation to discuss your options after any type of personal injury, contact our office online or call 973-993-8787 to set up an appointment. We have offices in Morristown and Newton.
We handle all personal injury claims on a contingent fee basis. You won’t pay any attorney fees unless we recover damages for your losses.