How do Expert Witnesses Help Car Accident Cases?

The past majority of car accident claims are resolved through several months with insurance carriers, and it typically does not take too long for the claim to conclude. However, there are often complications, particularly if there are conflicting stories about how the incident happened or the severity of the injuries. In many cases, corrective victims need to work with expert witnesses who can provide testimony to the insurance carriers or to a personal injury jury. Here, we want to discuss how all these expert witnesses help the case.

Insurance Carriers Will Try Not to Pay

The reality is that insurance carriers will do anything they can to limit how much money they pay in a settlement or even deny the claim altogether. One way to do this is to put up a fight over liability or the actual expenses involved in the incident. When an insurance carrier becomes difficult, it may be necessary to work with various expert witnesses to push back.

There Are Various Types of Expert Witnesses

There are many types of expert witnesses that could be used in the aftermath of a vehicle accident. The reality is that experts may need to be brought in on cases where liability is difficult to determine or for claims that have rather large potential settlements or jury verdicts on the line. Expert witnesses come in to provide their assistance when the information being discussed is outside the realm of general knowledge for those involved in the case, including insurance carriers, attorneys, judges, and jury members.

Some of the main types of expert witnesses that could be involved in a car accident case include:

  • Accident reconstruction experts
  • Vehicle safety experts
  • Faulty product experts
  • Bridge or highway safety engineers

The goal of any expert witness called in to help with the case will be to assist insurance carriers and help a jury understand what happened. These individuals can help determine fault for a case.

There are other types of expert witnesses that could come in to help the insurance carrier or a jury understand how much compensation should be awarded to a crash victim. If liability has been determined, that does not necessarily mean that there will be an agreement over how much compensation to pay a crash victim. Some of the expert witnesses that could be used to help sort through compensation amounts include:

  • Medical experts
  • Mental health experts
  • Economic and financial experts
  • Long-term financial planners

In some cases, these expert witnesses may need to help a jury understand why a larger compensation amount is necessary, particularly if the injuries are relatively severe. Sometimes, predicting compensation involves looking into the future and understanding what needs the crash victim may have as they work to recover from their injury or if they sustain a disability.

Contact a Skilled Car Accident Lawyer for Help

If you or somebody you love has been injured or sustained property damage in a vehicle accident, it is important to work with an attorney as soon as you can. The process of determining liability as well as adequate compensation amounts is challenging, and it may be necessary to get an expert witness called in as soon as possible to ensure a smooth claims process. When you work with a skilled car accident lawyer, you will have an advocate by your side who can handle this process on your behalf.