Witnesses in a Personal Injury Case
I’m Ed Smith, an Elk Grove personal injury lawyer. The role of witnesses in personal injury accidents is vitally important. Let’s look at the types of witnesses that might be prominent in an injury case.
How Witnesses Can Help
There are ways witnesses can help in different types of accidents. Common accidents are those that involve cars and trucks, slip and fall mishaps and pedestrian incidents among others. Witnesses are able to help in:
- Vehicular accidents: Individuals who are involved in car and truck accidents other than the driver, along with others that saw the accident happen, are the most common type of witness. This category also includes passengers in the vehicle involved in the accident. If there is a discrepancy about how the accident happened, witnesses who have seen the accident from several vantage points, make it easier to prove or disprove the details.
- Slip and fall accidents: When someone slips or falls, injuring themselves, the role of witnesses is important. A witness might actually see the person fall, and corroborate that a wet spot on the floor or object blocking the aisle that caused the accident. In addition, another witness might not have seen the accident happen but can describe the person’s injury subsequent to the accident. A standard argument made as a defense is that the spill or fallen object must have just happened. As such, the establishment did not have time to remove it. A third witness might step forward who can certify that the hazard was there an hour before the accident happened.
- Pedestrian accidents: When a pedestrian is injured by a motor vehicle, there may be the argument about who caused the accident to happen. A witness would be able to see the event transpire, and add essential information about the placement of the parties at the time of the accident. The driver’s speed is another factor in the severity of pedestrian injuries, and a witness would be able to shed light on that.
- Bicycle accidents: Bicycle accidents can be disputed when a driver maintains that the bicyclist either cut out into traffic or veered from their lane into an adjacent lane. Similarly, drivers are obligated to put at least three feet between their vehicle and a bicyclist when passing. A witness to a bicycle accident would be able to verify deviation from this rule.
Expert Witnesses
Expert witnesses are used in varying ways. An expert medical witness, such as a doctor or psychologist, may be asked to testify or give a deposition in a case. Such witnesses are able to discuss the extent of an injury, providing scientific and unbiased information. They are able to discuss the degree to which the injury caused impediments to daily life and how that might continue into the future. They may also describe the need for treatment in the future.
Expert engineers or accident reconstruction experts provide information about the way the accident happened. Using road marks and other data from the accident scene, reconstructionists are able to say how the accident happened. Engineers are often used in product liability lawsuits where a product design is in question.
Elk Grove Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, an Elk Grove personal injury lawyer. An experienced injury lawyer uses witness testimony to help get a favorable outcome for a claim or lawsuit. Achieving just compensation is important and allows a person or family to heal without the burden of financial worry. If you have been injured by a negligent party, give me a call at (916) 694-0002 locally in Elk Grove or outside the area at (800) 404-5400. You can contact me online if that is easier for you.
I’ve assisted clients in Elk Grove and Northern California with wrongful death cases or catastrophic accidents such as traumatic brain injuries for more than 35 years.
Once you’ve decided to obtain an attorney’s help, you should find out more about their practice. Read comments and reviews about mine by prior clients at Avvo, Yelp, and Google.
You can see the way I resolved some cases on my verdicts and settlements section here on AutoAccident.com.
I’ve won million dollar verdicts for my clients. Because of this, I was inducted into the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
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