Expert Witnesses in Chattanooga Car Accident Cases

An expert witness is a person with specialized knowledge that is outside the normal knowledge of everyday people. It is a person who, by experience or training, has specialized knowledge. Expert witnesses in Chattanooga car accident cases could testify to the severity of the injured party’s injuries, or to the amount of money someone might not be making due to their injuries, and so on. Expert witness testimony allows attorneys to substantiate their claims in order to secure a better outcome for the plaintiff. If an individual wants to know more about the role of expert witnesses in car accident cases, they should speak with a knowledgeable lawyer that could help.

Becoming an Expert Witness

A person becomes an expert witness by developing the knowledge and experience in a certain field and by being hired by a lawyer or a litigant to give testimony about that field of their expertise. The minimum requirement for that experience is not a hard and fast rule; it varies from expertise to expertise. Generally, it is multiple years dealing with the specific matter at issue.

Expert witnesses in Chattanooga car accident cases become expert witnesses when attorneys need to prove specific elements of the case. If a lawyer needs to prove that a rail on a truck broke because there was something wrong with the steel in that rail, a regular person would not know this. A regular person cannot walk up to a steel rail and say, “Hey, that steel is not right.” They have to hire a person who has training and experience in steel production or steel manufacturing to test the steel and show whether the steel was made or handled correctly.

Types of Expert Witnesses Used in Car Crash Cases

In car accident cases, attorneys use a host of different types of experts. They use a lot of medical experts to testify exactly what happened to a person’s body that resulted in the injuries the person is experiencing. They call experts to testify about traffic and safety violations, dangerous driving, and dangerous behavior on the roads. They call experts to testify about the force that is transferred from one car to another when a collision happens. They call experts to testify about lost earning capacity and how much a certain injury can take away from a person’s ability to earn a living. They call experts to testify about medical care costs and how much medical treatment is likely to cost in the future. They call experts on a host of different issues.

Is an Expert Witness Allowed to Have an Existing Relationship with the Plaintiff?

It can be acceptable for expert witnesses in Chattanooga car accident cases to have an existing relationship with the plaintiff depending on whether it is professional or personal. If, for instance, a doctor who treats a patient has a professional relationship with the patient, they might be called to testify as an expert witness in their patient’s case. That expert would be allowed to have an existing relationship with the plaintiff. If it is a personal relationship, most of the time that expert would not be called, and if they were called that relationship would be used against them.

The Benefits of Expert Witness Testimony During a Trial

The amount of weight an expert witness is given during a car wreck case is up to the jury or the judge if it is a bench trial, the jury can give as much or as little weight as the jury chooses. Oftentimes, defendants call experts to say that the person was not hurt when the person’s own doctors say that they were hurt. A jury is absolutely free to say, that they do not believe what the expert witness is saying. It is completely up to the jury to evaluate whether an expert is trustworthy, whether they have some sort of bias, and whether their information is useful and helpful.

The benefit of having expert witnesses in Chattanooga car accident cases testify during trial is certain facts cannot be proven without an expert. If someone is trying to prove how much income a 30-year-old man is going to lose because he is no longer able to lift more than 25 pounds for the rest of his career or how much money is he going to lose over the next 35 years of his employment life, the only way to prove that is to call an expert. An expert can be very helpful in proving facts that cannot be proven without an expert.

Drawbacks of Expert Witness Testimony

Sometimes a case is so simple and straightforward that calling an expert insults the jury’s intelligence. An expert is not needed to explain how a person died when there was a terrible car wreck and the person was crushed in the car. They are needed to explain that to a jury; it can make the jury feel disrespected if an expert is called.

Important Aspects When Discussing Expert Witnesses in Chattanooga Car Crash Cases

People should know that expert witnesses in Chattanooga car accident cases should be judged just like people one meets in everyday life. If the person is straightforward and able to give clear explanations that fit with the evidence, then that is helpful. Experts can also be deceptive. They can be untrustworthy just like people in everyday life. Some experts will say anything for the right amount of money, so people have to evaluate which one they are listening to and make their decisions accordingly. The benefit of working with an experienced car accident attorney is that they may know reputable expert witnesses who could use their knowledge to support the injured party’s claim. If an individual wants to know more about the benefits of an expert witness, they should speak with a lawyer that could answer their questions and help.