Expert Witness Personal Injury Damages Orange County

By Douglas McDonald


Personal injury cases may require evidence or proof of the alleged damages suffered by the party alleging the loss. In legal terms this party is called the plaintiff, the person bringing the action. The person or party being sued is called the defendant. The plaintiff in a personal injury suit alleges that they suffered some type of personal loss due to the negligence of the defendant. In these types of suits, the plaintiff may seek the services of an expert witness personal injury damages Orange County.

Truth is stranger than fiction, and the underlying facts of these cases runs the gamut from expected to outrageous. The plaintiff must present evidence that the injury in fact occurred, and that the defendant is the party responsible for the harm because he or she was negligent.

There are expert witness in almost any field imaginable. The case may call for a finance expert or a medical expert, or it may call for a very narrow field of expertise. In many cases, the expertise needed is that of a physician to attest to the medical damages. The physician might further testify that there were no preexisting medical conditions that could be responsible for the harm.

The very same case may require a finance consultant to assess the dollar amount for the losses suffered. If the harm is permanent or if a full recovery is expected, will have bearing on the calculations. This may sound odd, but the worse the damages are, the stronger the case for the plaintiff.

The age, past income and future earning potential will factor heavily into these calculations. For example, if a young professional athlete with lucrative endorsements and multi million dollar contract sustains a permanent injury, his lost income will be in the millions. If an elderly woman living on a fixed income is permanently injured, her lost income will be significantly less. These facts are relevant to the losses.

The expert witness in this instance is only attesting to the amount of lost income. He or she is not in a position to attest to negligence on the part of the defendant. These witnesses fit into certain categories of expertise, and they are not qualified to venture out of those categories.

These witnesses charge an hourly fee. The range of fees is very broad, as low as two hundred fifty and as high as one thousand dollars per hour. If the plaintiff prevails, the witness fees will be deducted from the settlement or award. Experts are expensive, but it is impossible to bring a matter to trial without the use of at least one expert witness. In many cases there are several expert witnesses.

Orange County is home to Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm. It is the third most populated county in California. Several of the cities located in the County are affluent and well educated. The County residents can be litigious. There are many personal injury law firms that are well connected with all manner of experts. If you have a strong case, they will be pleased to represent you.




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