The Role of Expert Witnesses in Car Accident Cases
December 14, 2024
If you get into a car accident and decide to file a lawsuit, obtaining contact information from witnesses may help your case. If there is no video footage of your accident, witness testimony can corroborate your account of what happened. However, eyewitness testimony isn’t the only kind of witness testimony that matters. Expert witnesses can offer specialized knowledge that helps judges and juries fully understand key facets of your case. Here’s what you should know about the role of expert witnesses in car accident cases.
Expert witnesses can offer insights into the cause of your accident, the nature and extent of your injuries, the total value of your losses, and other aspects of your case. The right expert witness testimony may increase your chances of receiving a fair settlement.
What Kinds of Expert Witnesses Testify in Car Accident Cases?
The exact role expert witness testimony plays in your car accident case will depend on the types of expert witnesses your attorney consults with. Here are some of the most common kinds of expert witnesses called in car accident cases.
Economic Experts
If your attorney is seeking a certain amount of compensation for you, chances are good that the other side will try to argue you’re entitled to much less. Hiring an expert witness to calculate your damages shows the judge and jury that you aren’t just trying to get as much compensation as you can — you’re seeking compensation for very real losses.
Witness testimony from economic experts is especially helpful if you have an injury that will require ongoing care. Economic experts can explain how the cost of medical care will change over time and deliver an accurate estimate of the total cost of your injury over your lifetime.
Accident Reconstructionists
In an ideal world, you’d have clear traffic camera footage of every accident. However, if there’s no footage and both parties disagree on how the accident happened, an experienced accident reconstructionist can offer important testimony. These experts don’t simply take an educated guess as to how a car crash happened. Before conducting their analysis, they gather evidence from many sources:
- The “black box” in each vehicle
- Both drivers’ cell phone records
- Any available camera footage
- Photos of the accident scene
- Police reports
- Reports of weather conditions at the time the accident occurred.
After analyzing the data, an accident reconstructionist can deliver an objective, science-backed explanation of how the accident happened and who was at fault.
Doctors and Other Medical Experts
Most plaintiffs in car accident lawsuits have suffered serious, life-altering injuries. However, for judges and juries who don’t have much medical knowledge, understanding the nature of those injuries can be a challenge. Medical expert witnesses can break down your injury and its effect on your life in a way the average person can understand.
Road Design Experts
Sometimes, the design of the road may have contributed to your accident. If your attorney is naming a city or government entity as a defendant in your lawsuit, they might hire a road design expert to explain how the structure or condition of the road caused your injuries.
Vehicle Safety Experts
In some cases, a safety defect in your vehicle or the other driver’s vehicle may have contributed to the accident. If your attorney or a witness who is not an expert in vehicle safety asserts that a defect contributed to the crash, a judge or jury may not take that claim seriously. However, if a vehicle safety expert examines the accident circumstances and comes to the same conclusion, the vehicle manufacturer is more likely to be held accountable.
Getting in touch with a car accident lawyer as soon as possible gives your attorney ample time to find the right expert witnesses for your case. Call us at (215) 569-0900 for a free consultation.
How Expert Witness Testimony Makes a Difference
The Many Ways Expert Witnesses Can Strengthen Your Case
Expert witness testimony can bolster your case and increase your chances of receiving a fair settlement. In some cases, your lawyer may choose to call several different expert witnesses — each with a different specialty. These are some of the ways expert witnesses can help support your legal team:
Providing Educated Opinions on Who Was at Fault
To win a car accident lawsuit, you must be able to convince the judge and/or jury that the defendant is to blame for your injuries. Your attorney may make a convincing argument to that effect, but if an expert can back that argument up, the court is even more likely to believe you. However, the at-fault party’s lawyer may have their own expert arguing that the defendant was not responsible. If you have an expert witness explaining who was at fault, it’s absolutely critical to ensure that the expert is as credible as possible.
Interpreting Evidence
Gathering evidence is a key part of putting together a car accident lawsuit. However, just presenting that evidence without explanation is unlikely to be enough to win your case. Expert witnesses can analyze raw data and explain it in a way that supports your legal team’s argument.
For example, your X-rays and medical records are valuable evidence. However, the average judge or juror isn’t going to understand the extent of your injuries from that evidence alone. A medical expert can look closely at your records and explain how your injuries will cause permanent disability, ongoing pain, and other significant problems.
Very skilled expert witnesses will often take things a step further and present visual aids for the court:
- An accident reconstructionist might create a computer animation of the accident.
- A doctor might show a diagram of each of your injuries.
- An economic expert may create a graph or chart showing your economic losses.
- A road design expert might take a video of your accident site to show dangerous road conditions.
Some expert witnesses are better at explaining complex concepts than others. Experienced car accident attorneys often have a network of reliable expert witnesses who know how to present information clearly and effectively in the courtroom.
Countering the Other Side
In many personal injury trials, you’re going up against the at-fault party’s insurance company. Insurance companies will often hire their own expert witnesses, and if you don’t have any experts testifying on your behalf, a jury will likely see the insurance company as more credible. When your legal team carefully selects the right expert witnesses, you’ll have your own expert testimony to counter the arguments of the other side’s witnesses.
Have You Suffered Injuries in a Car Accident?
The Wapner Newman Team Is Ready to Fight for You
Not all car accident lawsuits need expert witness testimony. However, if yours does, an experienced car accident attorney will be able to determine which witnesses will be most helpful. At Wapner Newman, we’ve been building strong cases for injured Pennsylvania and New Jersey citizens since 1978. Seeking justice for injured people is our passion — if you’ve been hurt in a car accident, we’re here for you.
If you’ve suffered major injuries because of another driver’s negligence, reach out to us as soon as you can. Call Wapner Newman at (215) 569-0900 to schedule a free consultation and case review.