When a car accident leaves you hurt and out of work, you might have no choice but to take legal action against the at-fault driver. Doing so will mean you and your attorney will need to assemble a strong case that proves both the other driver's culpability and your damages. Expert witnesses can provide you with strong and convincing testimony and educated opinions about all aspects of a personal injury case. To learn more about how an expert witness could turn out to be a key player in your case, read on.

How Will an Expert Witness Help Your Case?

Most have seen courtroom dramas play out on television where the expert dramatically alters the course of a case by their testimony. Having an expert to testify for you in court is only the most well-known role — some also work behind the scenes as consultants. For example, as your personal injury attorney prepares your case, they may consult with a medical expert about your injuries. If you are suffering from severe injuries, the medical expert can advise on what can be expected in the future in regard to more surgeries and physical therapy needs. Since future medical expenses are a common form of damage, this testimony provides the attorney with the information needed when forming the lawsuit and the money damages.

Beyond their consultative roles, expert witnesses present information from a variety of areas of personal injury law, such as:

1. If your injury has negatively affected your career on a permanent basis, a vocational expert might testify about future earnings you are losing out on due to your injury. For example, if you are a concert pianist, your career will be severely affected by damage to your hands or fingers that is not expected to get any better. The testimony of this expert can help the jury understand how devastating this loss of future earnings might be.
2. Fault is not always clear or undisputed. Experts in accident reconstruction can be called upon to give their opinion as to who is at fault in a wreck. They review the evidence and use their expertise to determine not just the fault but the degree of fault. For example, some accidents involve more than a single driver who is at fault.
3. Accident injuries can be invisible. Emotional disorders as a result of a particularly traumatic accident can affect victims long after the physical injuries have healed. Mental health experts can be called upon to speak about the way the wreck has affected the victim's life. This form of damage translates to pain and suffering.

Dozens of more examples of experts exist. Speak to a car or trucking accident attorney about your case as soon as possible.