Expert Witnesses in Villa Rica Car Accident Cases
Expert witnesses are anyone with specialized scientific, medical or legal expertise in the field in which they are testifying. It is common in a car accident case for the defense to present expert witnesses to refute any of the testimony of the expert witness that the attorneys rely upon. Injury lawyers utilize some of the best expert witnesses in America who are truly neutral when it comes to determining the basis of their opinion.
The testimony of an expert witness can make or break a case. In some instances, an expert is needed to prove how a person sustained injuries in a car accident. In other circumstances, an experienced attorney may call on a witness to determine how fast the at-fault driver was traveling at the time of impact. Speak with an auto wreck lawyer to learn more about expert witnesses in Villa Rica car accident cases.
Cost of Villa Rica Expert Witnesses
The testimonies of expert witnesses in Villa Rica car accident cases are expensive. The majority of expert witnesses are paid on an hourly basis for their work. For example, an engineer could charge up to $750 an hour to review a case and offer an opinion. An attorney hires expert witnesses after performing a thorough analysis of the pros and cons of the testimony and informing the victim of the costs because ultimately it is their call.
Potential Benefits of Expert Testimony
Most drivers do not have a video camera inside their car, so it is often a person’s word about how the crash affected them. In some cases, an expert witness is hired to take measurements of the vehicles involved to determine exactly how the vehicles involved behaved during the accident.
People who analyze the behavior of vehicles involved with advanced technology are called accident reconstructionists. They use computers to simulate vehicle crashes. The majority of jurors want to hear a compelling story. Unfortunately, Hollywood has made the general public believe that the courtroom is a place to go to be entertained as they sit in that jury box. It is the attorney’s job to present the case to the jury in a manner that will engage and excite them.
Expert testimony provides videos and diagrams that show the jury a picture of what occurred. Another instance where expert testimony is useful is when a treating physician is on the stand. It is one thing to have a victim say how they have been injured, but it is a separate thing to have a treating physician testifying. Medical illustrators are also potential expert witnesses in Villa Rica car accident cases, but more so, they illustrate the expert testimony of the doctors that are testifying on the stand and allow the lawyers to tell the jury how the injuries occurred.
Cons of Hiring Experts
The main reason why expert testimony is not used has much to do with the cost. Some expert witnesses in Villa Rica car accident cases charge $1,500 per hour to look at a case. If that expert uses 10 hours to review a case, that is a $15,000 bill that somebody must pay. There are some creative ways to get testimony other than expert testimony that is just as effective and much less costly. Not all of them are expensive, but some are more affordable than others.
Settling an Auto Wreck Case
Cases could be settled prior to a lawsuit being filed or settled prior to the case going to court. The vast majority of car wreck cases do not require the testimonies of expert witnesses in Villa Rica car accident cases. However, it depends on the severity of the injuries and whether there were any witnesses to the accident other than the parties involved that help determines if expert testimony is needed.
