The Right Expert Witness in a Tennessee Car Accident can be the Difference between Winning and Losing
Whether it is a complicated high-speed collision or a low speed car accident, you may suffer serious personal injuries that will impact your life for years to come. Yet, in almost every car accident there could be factors that complicate your recovery which are not readily obvious to the untrained eye. Sometimes the evidence is not apparent and other times to uncover the facts you will need to look in unorthodox places. Further, you may need additional resources, such experts, to help prove your case.
As experienced Tennessee car accident attorneys, we understand not just the nuances of this area of law, but we also understand how to uncover and prove the facts that need to be applied to the law. One of the most common ways to do that is through the use of experts.
Expert witnesses can help explain more complicated issues at trial to a judge and to jurors. In the event of a summary judgment motion or other similar motion, an expert can swear to an affidavit and make opinions based on the evidence to help establish elements in your case.
There are many different types of experts that a resourceful Tennessee car accident attorney could retain to maximize your recovery. The most common types of experts that can be utilized in a car accident case are the following:
Medical Experts
Generally this will be one of your treating physicians but not always. A medical expert is typically used to explain the medical records and the procedures, tests, and reports contained in them. A medical expert will also be used to explain the anatomy and pathology of your injuries while addressing what the prognosis and permanent effects of these conditions will be on your life. Medical experts may also testify about the reasonableness and necessity of medical bills.
Economists
When there are lost wages, income, or decreased earning capacity as a result of your injuries, an economist will be used to help calculate the financial impact on your life. While it may be easy to evaluate lost days from work against your salary, it is significantly more complicated to evaluate a demotion because of injuries, or a termination of your current job for which you acquire a new one in a completely different field. This is even more complicated if there is a commission-based job.
Accident Reconstructionists
Accident reconstructionists will gather evidence and use the facts known to determine what actually happened at the scene of the accident. These professionals will take measurements, obtain witness statements, and review your attorney’s file to use facts we already know to learn new facts. Using technology, many accident reconstructionists will create and render 3D videos of the car accident depicting the views from all angles. The relative speed of both motor vehicles and the trajectory can also be determined to help prove negligence in your accident.
Engineering and Land Survey Experts
Particularly when dealing with claims of a defective roadway or defective motor vehicle part, engineering and land survey experts are used to testify to the structural integrity of an object of topographic landscape and how it relates to your accident. For instance, if a roadway has been constructed in such a way that rainwater will flow across its surface from down a hill, creating almost a stream of water, an engineering and land survey expert will be used to opine that the roadway was negligently constructed because that water should have been diverted and not positioned over the roadway surface. This could be hazardous and cause drivers to hydroplane.
Vocational Experts
When you have been injured and your ability to work in the future is diminished, a vocational expert can be used to testify to the limitations you now have and what impact they will create on your working life. Vocational experts can determine how long you will be able to continue working before your injuries forced you into retirement, and also what future difficulties you will be forced to balance.
It should be obvious that there are many different types of experts that your Tennessee car accident attorney could use to help prove your case. Not all of these experts will be used in every case, and in fact some cases will not even require an expert at all. But other times combinations of experts will be used to help maximize the compensation you can recover.
Here at Bailey and Greer, PLLC our Tennessee car accident attorneys understand how to effectively pursue your claims. Our legal team has a proven track record of compassionately representing our clients injured in car accidents which is included in our testimonials page. Please contact us today to receive your free case evaluation by dialing 901-680-9777. Remember, you only have one year from the date of the accident to commence your action to recover compensation.
Since graduating magna cum laude in 2005 from the University of Memphis School of Law, Thomas has helped make a difference in the lives of victims of serious personal injury, wrongful death, and professional negligence. Thomas has extensive trial experience in both state and federal court. Among other victories in the courtroom, Thomas obtained several impressive jury verdicts and settlements
Read more about Thomas R. Greer