In a car accident case when the defense has admitted liability, the plaintiff lawyer will have to produce witnesses that will help prove damages. Once the defense has admitted responsibility, the rest of the trial will be only for damages, and certain witnesses will have to be produced to help the jury arrive at a reasonable compensation figure. These witnesses will prove that what the plaintiff is claiming is true.
A Doctor’s Word Carries a Lot of Weight
In your personal injury case, the first obvious expert witness would be the medical doctor treating you. It has to be made clear to the jury, what treatment you have received, whether you underwent surgery, and the extent of your treatment. The doctor will also testify about your prognosis. He will tell the jury what will be your condition in the future because of the injuries you had suffered in the accident.
Substantiating Your Claim
To substantiate the testimony given by your doctor, your lawyer will also call your family members, friends, and even your work colleagues to testify what you are going through on a daily basis. Your lawyer might also recommend making a video of how you spend your day. For making this video, a family member will have to follow you around and shoot the video as you engage in various daily activities. Such a recording will clearly demonstrate, what activities you have difficulty doing or are unable to do. The jury will be able to understand through the video the challenges you have to go through each day due to your injuries.
Your Financial Outlook
Another important expert witness, your accident lawyer might want to bring in to testify would be an economist. This witness will be able to testify to the jury, the extent of financial loss you have suffered and will be suffering in the future, because of your diminished capacity to work due to your injuries. Apart from your medical bills and treatment costs, lost income will form a major part of your damages, and an economist will be able to provide a correct picture of your situation, and the financial impact you could be facing in the future.
Work Production Diminished
If you have suffered serious injuries that is going to affect your future capacity to work, your lawyer can call a vocational rehabilitation expert. This witness will be able to tell the jury, the type of jobs you will be able to do, and the type of work that will not be possible for you in future. This will provide a clear contrast of what you were able to do before the accident and what you are capable now. The economist can take up this issue further, by putting a dollar figure on the loss of your future income due to your diminished capacity to work. Therefore, for proving damages in your personal injury case, your accident lawyer will have to call in these expert witnesses to present a clear picture to the jury. These witnesses will provide the required evidence for backing your claim to be true.
