The roles played by expert witnesses in truck accident cases vary based on what part of your case they are asked to support. They can offer insight into the trucking industry and its regulations, highlight what went wrong to cause your accident, or discuss possible financial consequences for victims. Broadly, Jacksonville truck accident lawyers use experts to support your claims about the accident and your need for financial compensation.
How Medical Experts Can Help In A Truck Accident Case
Injury lawyers often consult medical professionals to provide evidence about an accident victim’s injuries, medical bills, and prognosis. Expert witnesses in this category include:
- Emergency doctors
- Specialists
- Psychologists
- Rehabilitation experts
Medical Experts Can Testify To The Kinds of Treatment You Need
In accidents involving large trucks, doctors and other medical experts can help demonstrate why you deserve compensation and even the types of compensation you deserve.
For example, if you suffered a spinal cord injury in your truck accident, a neurologist can explain the type of spinal cord damage you suffered and how it will affect your health going forward. A physical and occupational therapist specializing in this type of injury can highlight the challenges you face in your recovery. They can also explain what your maximum medical improvement will look like (how long you will be in recovery and the potential cost of that treatment).
Medical Experts Can Provide Support For Subjective Losses
Since invisible injuries and emotional pain are harder to prove with scans and data, psychological experts can emphasize the support you need for mental health struggles after an injury. As the Mayo Clinic points out, accidents and life-threatening medical diagnoses can cause post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). An expert on PTSD can therefore demonstrate how you fit the criteria and are eligible for mental anguish and emotional distress damages.
Medical Experts Can Help Your Lawyer Prove Liability
To pursue damages in a truck accident, you and your legal team must provide a connection between your injuries and the actions of the driver or the trucking company. More than just providing evidence of your injuries, healthcare professionals can assist in explaining how your specific injuries can occur.
For example, certain injuries are consistent with certain types of accidents, e.g. a traumatic brain injury from a rollover accident. Some medical experts may even assist in recreating the crash based on the placement of your injuries. This can provide additional information about the chain of events that caused the truck accident, helping to establish the driver’s fault for your injuries.
How Truck Experts Can Help In Your Accident Case
Professionals familiar with large commercial trucks can play a role as expert witnesses in truck accident cases. That includes:
- Mechanics and auto experts
- Truck safety investigators
- Regulators from the industry
Mechanics And Auto Experts
You are not expected to know all of the ins and outs of how large trucks function and malfunction. Instead, your truck accident lawyer consults experts in commercial trucks to identify any equipment defects, maintenance failures, or other forms of negligence.
Your attorney can use mechanics and auto experts who are knowledgeable in the type of truck involved in your case. For instance, a garbage truck functions differently than a concrete mixer or flatbed. Your team may therefore utilize someone with expertise in the specific truck that hit you.
Safety Investigators And Industry Regulators
Commercial trucks are required to follow specific regulations relating to:
- Vehicle weight
- Passengers
- Cargo safety
- Hours of service
- Training
- Insurance coverage
- Repairs and maintenance
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) limits property-carrying drivers to 11 hours of driving and passenger-carrying drivers to 10 hours. Drivers must take breaks at certain intervals and adhere to time limits on days of consecutive travel.
Regulations like these are designed to prevent crashes and injuries. If a driver or trucking company violated these regulations and caused your accident, they are liable. This makes experts on truck safety and regulations important—they can investigate and expose violations that may have contributed to your accident.
Other Experts Who Can Play A Role In Truck Accident Cases
The singular circumstances of your truck crash could indicate the need for other expert testimony. Your attorney may consult:
- Financial experts
- Pathologists
- Accident reconstruction experts
- Police and similar authorities
In The Event Of Long-Term Financial Losses
Financial experts include actuaries and economists who can help project your financial losses over time. This can provide a more accurate idea of the compensation you should receive in a settlement.
In The Event Of A Fatal Accident
In the sad event of a fatal truck accident, a pathologist can provide information on injuries and cause of death. Pathologists can analyze what caused the injuries and shed light on the accident’s circumstances.
To Analyze The Cause Of A Collision
Both accident reconstruction experts and police can use their training to analyze the causes and aftermath of the accident.
Our Truck Accident Attorneys Can Consult Experts For You
At the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, our personal injury attorneys explain the role of any expert witnesses in your truck accident case. Our team utilizes our experience with truck crashes like yours to determine what resources and experts could benefit your case. We walk you through every step of our strategy for pursuing your compensation. Contact our team today to learn more with a free consultation. We are available 24/7!
