The Importance of Expert Witness Testimony

The benefits a well-chosen expert witness provides to a case aren’t all apparent at first glance. Here’s why expert witnesses are important – and why selecting the right expert is vital.

Popular images of “experts” often include people who make their living at a particular practice or topic, or who have written a book on the subject. Yet legal standards for experts don’t require that expert witnesses meet either of these standards. 

This flexibility can be of great use to attorneys. The central issue in some cases is so narrow and fact-specific that no one makes their living by focusing solely on that particular issue. 

At the other end of spectrum, some cases present issues that cannot be fully understood unless their impact in several different domains is explored. For example, establishing the full impact of chronic pain after a car accident may require attorneys to explore several different areas of medicine, including neurology, orthopedic medicine, physical and occupational therapy, and psychiatry or psychology

Preparing a lay witness to testify is often a matter of ensuring they understand the basic boundaries of lay testimony. Experts are educated and/or trained in their particular specialty area, they can take what they know and build on it.Because they have the opportunity to objectively interpret the facts from using a variety of methods, experts can develop a cogent analysis of the liability on which to base their testimony.

Craig Cherney is a trusted client advisor and a sought after real estate expert witness who is hired by the nation’s top Real Estate Litigation Attorneys to help resolve their litigated real property matters.  Craig has appeared as a testifying expert witness before judges and juries in California, Arizona, Nevada and other jurisdictions across the country. Craig Cherney, Esq. Expert Witness Real Estate. 480-399-2342.