Buffalo Personal Injury Lawyers / Hiring Expert Witnesses

Hiring Expert Witnesses

Why is hiring expert witnesses important and how can we utilize them to help maximize your recovery? This short informational legal video was provided by the experienced Buffalo attorneys at Andrews, Bernstein & Maranto, PLLC.  Contact one of our experienced personal injury lawyers in Buffalo NY if you were injured.

Read Our FREE Injury Guide

Sometimes clients will ask when will an expert witness be hired in their particular case. Not all cases require the expense or the expertise of an expert, unless there are certain things that need to be either calculated or explained to a jury that they would not otherwise be able to resolve or understand themselves. That’s the general test for an expert witness in New York state. Will it be helpful to a jury? Without that expert testimony, will they be unable to arrive at those conclusions themselves?

Usually, it’s towards the end of proof, but before trial. We’ll consult with an expert regarding what our injuries or damages are, calculations for our harms or losses, or a presentation sometimes of the bio-mechanics or the reconstruction of an accident. Every case is different. Often, the rule is – as we’re preparing a case, either when treatment is concluded and we’re getting ready for a big mediation or arbitration, or we are getting the case ready for trial, is when we’ll actually do that formal retainer of an expert witness. In some cases, it’s much earlier.

I have a case going to trial in a few weeks where we had to retain an accident reconstructionist who visited the scene, looked at all the photos, reviewed all of the in-depth statements of the parties involved, took measurements and did calculations, and was able to come up with a report that was very favorable for our client, even though the initial fact pattern and the initial story from the other driver did not look very good for us. That expert was retained very early on.

The Personal Injury Lawyers at Andrews, Bernstein & Maranto, PLLC fight for the rights of persons who are injured or disabled. We approach each case on an individual basis and personally assist each client with their unique needs. We are involved in every step of the legal process, and ensure that each case receives the time and effort necessary for success.