Expert Testimony in a Personal Injury Lawsuit

The testimony of an expert witness becomes an essential step in getting a positive outcome in your personal injury claim.

In a New Jersey personal injury lawsuit, having the support of the highest quality personal injury attorney is essential to ensure that you recover all damages resulting from the injury or illness you sustained due to someone else’s negligence. One of the ways a quality attorney will support your successful claim is by calling in expert witnesses as appropriate to your case. A successful personal injury lawsuit can depend on small details such as the additional scientific standpoint of someone offering expert testimony. Read on to learn more about what an expert witness is, how they are used in personal injury cases, and how your personal injury attorney will properly facilitate the use of expert testimony in your personal injury case to recover maximum financial damages.

What Qualifies as an Expert Witness in NJ?

An expert witness is someone who is called in to offer testimony about a subject regarding which they are highly trained. Their testimony is based on their scientific and objective study of the subject at hand. As such, expert witness does not offer subjective reflection except to the extent that their expertise in the matter allows them to draw a sound conclusion.

What is the Purpose of Having Expert Witness Testimony?

Several different types of expert witnesses provide contextual information to support the judge and jury’s understanding and capacity to make an informed judgment in a trial.

Expert witnesses include medically trained professionals such as doctors, nurses, and physical therapists. As long as their training and expertise relate specifically to the injury sustained by a plaintiff or other victim, for example, they may be called in to provide contextual scientific evidence to the nature of the injury and its implications.

Forensic accountants may also be called upon to provide one type of expert testimony. They provide deep investigation and analysis of financial information in divorce and fraud cases.

Mental health experts are often used in criminal trials to determine the mental state of a defendant at the time a crime for which they are accused was committed.

Other examples of expert witnesses are parenting experts who provide information about children’s wellbeing in divorce and custody cases; vocational experts, who determine whether a person is capable of returning to work; and engineering experts, who review structural and design elements of a case involving a building to support the determination of fault in an accident.

What Types of Experts are used in Personal Injury Cases in New Jersey?

The expert witnesses most often brought into a personal injury case are medical, engineering, and vocational experts. When a person is injured in an accident or at work due to someone else’s negligence, there are many expenses, losses, and detrimental changes that they must undergo. Such expenses include medical expenses, out-of-pocket costs, lost wages, physical recovery and temporary or permanent disability, as well as psychological impact.

A medical expert such as a doctor specializing in the type of injury the plaintiff sustains is a very helpful asset to the case because they can determine the severity of the type of injury the plaintiff has medical documentation to show they have sustained. The medical professional offering expert testimony can provide information about the recovery process, such as any necessary surgeries. It can help the judge determine the type of medical expenses the victim still has to undertake to support full recovery.

Similarly, a vocational expert can provide objective information about the plaintiff’s timeline for a return to work, which will help determine the loss of wages they will be subjected to due to the accident.

And, an engineering expert can be called in in the case of a slip and fall as a result of a building owner’s negligence in construction, for example, to show that their structure was not sound and created a hazard.

How Does an Attorney Choose an Expert?

Depending on the nature of a plaintiff’s claim, the injury sustained, and timeline placement within their recovery, the attorney, will specifically select the type of expert witness that will provide to the judge necessary information about the general details of the plaintiff’s specific case to strengthen their argument.

Our attorneys consult with top experts to support our clients’ personal injury claims. Call our Hamilton Office for help with your matter.

Having the support of a skilled and experienced attorney can mean the difference of thousands of dollars in recovered damages as the result of your injury. You want to have a personal injury attorney who is proactive about bringing in all the expert testimony that is appropriate to create an objective and scientific framework for your personal injury, helping the judge gain a sense of how much you have been and will continue to be affected, ensuring that you recover financial damages not just for what you’ve undergone so far, but what you have yet to undergo until you reach a full recovery.

A skilled personal injury lawyer is an essential aspect of your injury claim. Have you been injured due to someone else’s negligence? The seasoned injury attorneys at CR Law Firm have your back. At Cohen & Riechelson, we understand how important your health is, and we work to make sure you have all the resources you need and deserve to get back on your feet. We employ and utilize highly qualified expert witnesses to support our clients across Mercer County towns such as Hamilton, East Windsor, Pennington, Trenton, Princeton, and surrounding places to make sure they’re fully taken care of and can focus on their recovery while we focus on their financial recovery.

Contact us at (609) 528-2596 for a free consultation to discuss your injury and devising an approach that delivers your best chance for a valuable resolution.