What Is An Expert Witness And How Can They Help My Auto Accident Case?
Michael Babboni
Car Accidents
When you’ve been injured in a car accident, your bills start to pile up quickly. Between medical expenses and missing work, many accident victims also suffer financial hardship after the crash. However, under Florida state law, you have a right to fair compensation if the injuries were caused by another driver. In order to receive this compensation, you have to first prove the other driver is liable. Your attorney will do this in a number of different ways including working with an expert witness.What Is An Expert Witness?
An expert witness is an objective third party with a high degree of expertise in a specific field. Expert witnesses provide the courts with testimony about the accident to help prove who was liable for the damages caused by the accident. Both defendants and plaintiffs can call expert witnesses. There are a lot of different types of expert witnesses that can be called upon after an accident including:
● Medical Experts: Physicals and other medical experts may be called to discuss the nature of your injuries. This includes common treatments, impact on your life, and general costs associated with these injuries.
● Mental Health Experts: Mental health experts may be called when there is psychological damage from the accident like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These witnesses can also help determine the mental fitness of the individuals involved in the case.
● Financial Experts: Financial experts are used to help calculate the full cost of the damages caused by the accident. They can also help place a value on intangible damages like pain and suffering or loss of consortium.
● Accident Reconstructionists: Accident reconstructions are experts in the science behind auto accidents. They’ll reconstruct the accident and look at the physics of the damage. They use diagrams and models to help show who is at fault for the accident.
● Highway Safety Expert: Highway safety experts specialize in transportation infrastructure and laws. They usually testify about the road conditions and traffic laws that impact the accident.
Oftentimes, attorneys will work with more than one of these types of expert witnesses to help build their case for the courts.
How Can Expert Witnesses Help My Claim
Florida is a no-fault state, so when an accident happens courts look at all the factors that cause the accident. Then they assign a percentage of fault to each party. That percentage impacts the payout of the claim.
For example, if they find that the accident caused $10,000 in damages and they assign the other driver 80% of the blame and you 20% of the blame, your payout will be $8,000. Therefore, it is crucial to prove the degree of liability of the other driver. Expert witnesses can help. Expert witnesses provide the courts a third opinion when it’s hard to determine fault. Unlike the parties involved in the accident, their testimony is considered fully objective because they have nothing to gain. Their expertise also grants them authority with the courts, so their views are taken seriously. Expert witnesses are critical when fighting for fair compensation.
Choosing The Right Attorney
When you hire an attorney, you need to also make sure that they have a broad network of expert witnesses that can help you prove your claim and get you the compensation you deserve. The St Pete Lawyer, Michael Babboni has been practicing auto accident law in Southern Florida for over 30 years. In that time he has built a large network of expert witnesses that have helped his clients receive full compensation for their damages. If you’ve been in an auto accident, give us a call at 1-727-381-9200 for a free case review. We’ve got all the tools and know-how to help you win your case.