What You Should Know About Lay Witness And Expert Witness Testimony
In an auto accident case, you'll need plenty of evidence to prove the other driver's negligence. Police reports, medical records and photos from the accident scene may only be the start of proving the validity of your injury claims. In addition to this evidence, you'll also need credible witness testimony.
There are generally two types of witness testimony you'll need in a typical auto accident case. The following takes an in-depth look at lay witness and expert witness testimony.
Times When Lay Witness Testimony Proves Helpful
Lay witnesses are simply ordinary people who are able to provide eyewitness testimony of the accident in question. Your car accident attorney can call any number of available lay witnesses to testify on your behalf.
Lay witness testimony can come in handy for establishing the basic facts of your auto accident case. For instance, a lay witness can testify about the events leading up to the accident. Lay witnesses can establish details like weather and visibility conditions, traffic markings and even statements made by the victim and at-fault driver at the scene.
Keep in mind that the testimony of a lay witness must be grounded in their personal observations. Lay witnesses are not allowed to answer questions that would normally be asked of an expert witness, including hypothetical questions that require an expert witness's knowledge and training to answer.
Times When You Need Expert Witness Testimony
If an auto accident occurs without any eyewitnesses present, you'll need testimony from experts who can piece together and reasonably demonstrate how it happened. This is where expert witness testimony comes into play. Expert witnesses are highly-trained professionals who can use their knowledge and expertise to reconstruct how accidents happen and verify the resulting injury claim.
Expert witness testimony can come from a wide variety of professional sources. Accident reconstructionists, first responders, medical experts and vocational rehabilitation specialists are commonly called upon to provide expert witness testimony in auto accident cases.
The testimony provided by an expert witness can be invaluable for revealing the circumstances behind an auto accident. Testimony from a first responder can shed light on an accident victim's condition shortly after the crash, while an accident reconstructionist can determine exactly how the accident occurred and who's at fault.
When it comes to gathering evidence for your auto accident case, it's always a good idea to consult with your car accident attorney. Strong, credible witness testimony can help put you on the road to receiving the compensation you deserve.