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Expert Witness Testimony

How does an expert witness support a personal injury claim?

After someone is injured due to someone else’s unintentional negligence, the injured person, called the plaintiff, hires an attorney to launch a personal injury claim with the insurance company of the at-fault person, called the defendant. If the attorney and the insurance company cannot agree on a settlement amount, then the claim is filed with the court as a lawsuit. This is where expert testimony comes into play.

The ultimate success of a personal injury lawsuit depends on the plaintiff’s ability to prove to a judge and jury their case regarding the liability of the defendant and to quantify damages that the plaintiff sustained. To provide this proof, expert witnesses are brought in to support the plaintiff’s claim.

What types of expert witnesses are there for an injury case?

An expert witness is someone with technical, scientific, or specialized knowledge that will testify to help the judge and jury understand the circumstances of the case. In a personal injury lawsuit, expert witnesses can be accident reconstruction experts, vocational rehabilitation experts, and financial experts who can testify to the circumstances of a car accident, the future career options, and  the future earning potential of an injured person.

How do you find an expert witness?

It may be possible to find an expert witness to help with your case by searching through online directories and websites, but the process of finding and vetting an expert witness is best left in the hands of an experienced personal injury lawyer.

 

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Everett-Bellingham WA
One case study of how an expert witness made all the difference for an injured truck driver

One case study of how an expert witness made all the difference for an injured truck driver

When dealing with the aftermath of an accident, one can feel overwhelmed and isolated. There are many decisions to make, and many different agendas of other people and companies trying to influence those decisions. And an accident victim wants only to focus on healing. Here is a short case study of how one commercial truck driver in Bellingham, Washington, was injured in a fluke accident due to someone else's mistake, and how his case relied on the testimony of an expert witness. 

Motorcyclist's lawyers win his case after being involved in an accident with a pickup truck in San Bernardino, California, sustaining a brain injury

  On July 20, 2007, Kiven Dawson, a 46-year-old truck driver, was riding his motorcycle north on Meridian Avenue in San Bernardino, California when he struck a pickup truck driven by Norma Ortiz. Although he does not have memory of the accident due to a brain injury he sustained as a result, based on his police report, he claims that Ortiz was driving southbound when she made a left hand turn in his ath, resulting in the accident. Dawson decided to sue Ortiz, and the owner of her vehicle, Alfonso Torres for negligent driving.