Medical malpractice: the importance of expert witnesses

If you’ve been injured by the negligence of a doctor or other medical professionals, then you may be considering filing a medical malpractice lawsuit. If you’re able to succeed on one of these claims you may be able to recover considerable compensation to help alleviate the damages you have suffered. This may mean recouping medical expenses and lost wages, as well as obtaining money to help ease pain and suffering. Although many of these cases settle before reaching trial, you still need to be prepared to go to trial. First, you may be unable to reach a resolution prior to trial. Second, having a thoroughly prepped case can give you leverage during settlement negotiations.
This means that you need to have your witnesses lined up well before any anticipated litigation. Amongst these witnesses is probably at least one expert. In the medical malpractice context, these experts can analyze medical records and other documents and thereby draw conclusions that may be helpful to the judge and jury. Before an expert opinion can be rendered, though, it must be demonstrated that the expert is relying on methods that are generally accepted in the field in question.
In order to meet the legal elements required to deem expert testimony admissible, you need to know the rules of evidence and procedure. Failing to know these rules, or having an inadequate legal professional by your side, could cause your expert’s testimony to be deemed inadmissible. This, in turn, could completely derail your case, costing you the compensation you need and deserve.
Therefore, if you’re considering pursuing a medical malpractice claim, then you need to carefully consider who you choose to be on your side advocating for you along the way. Skilled attorneys, like those at our firm, have questioned countless expert witnesses, meaning they know how to develop a legal strategy that is sound and admissible in court.