Our Bicycle Accident Lawyer Explains How Expert Witnesses Help Us Prove Your Right to Injury Compensation
Even if you did nothing wrong to cause your bicycle accident, the negligent driver's insurance company could raise disputes to avoid paying you the compensation you deserve for your injuries. To fight back, you may need a particular type of evidence that an expert witness can provide.
Our experienced bicycle accident lawyer at Max Meyers Law understands the tactics the insurance company may employ and will help you collect the evidence you need to refute their arguments. This might include hiring an expert witness if their testimony can help prove your bike accident personal injury claim.
What’s an Expert Witness? 
This is an individual with specialized knowledge based on their training, education, or experience on a particular subject. But before they’re allowed to testify in a trial, a judge must rule that they’re qualified to do so.
Under Wash. R. Evid. 702, an expert witness will be permitted to testify if:
- They will provide scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge, and;
- Their testimony will assist a judge or jury in understanding the evidence being presented or determining a fact that’s in dispute.
How an Expert Witness Can Help in a Bicycle Accident Claim
Their report may help us resolve disputes raised by the insurance company during settlement negotiations and demonstrate that they’re responsible for issuing your injury compensation.
Here are other ways an expert witness can help in your case:
- Determine the accident's cause. They’ll present certain elements of fact that prove the cause of the incident and explain it at trial so the judge and jury understand it. If the expert has good communication skills, a jury can find their testimony very persuasive.
- Explain the seriousness of your injuries. An expert can explain your injuries' severity and whether you’ll recover fully or require more specific assistance.
- Refute the insurance company's evidence. A savvy type of witness can counter the arguments and evidence presented by the insurer.
- Establish your damages. We also use certain types of experts to help us determine the full value of your claim. This consult includes estimating future medical expenses, wage losses, and pain and suffering if you have a permanent injury.
Expert Witnesses You May Need in Your Washington Bicycle Accident Claim
At Max Meyers Law, we often use the following types of witnesses in complicated cases like these.
Medical Expert
A physician explains how the crash caused your injuries, how serious they are, and the treatments you need. If you suffer a long-term medical condition, which is unfortunately common in bike accidents, a medical expert witness can explain the future care you’ll need, whether you can continue to work, and how the repercussions of this incident affect your overall quality of life.
Accident Reconstruction Expert
An accident reconstruction expert may be necessary if the cause of your bicycle crash is in dispute or the insurance company claims you were partially at fault for it. This professional examines the evidence, such as:
- The police report
- Photos taken at the accident scene
- Traffic and surveillance camera footage
- Black box data
- Witness statements
They also visit the scene and may take their own photographs and measurements.
An accident reconstruction expert analyzes this information and determines the accident’s cause. They can create a reenactment of how it occurred and may prepare diagrams or a computer-generated demonstration to show the jury. They also write a report that may help us convince the insurance company that their driver—and not you—was the negligent party.
Engineer
If road conditions contributed to your accident, we may need to hire an engineer or road safety expert. They’re able to explain applicable federal, state, and municipality road construction regulations and how their violations caused your crash.
Economic Expert
If your injuries are severe, you may not be able to perform your job as before or be able to work at all. So this professional calculates your future wage losses if you must switch careers and take a pay cut. If you’re permanently disabled, they can also determine your lost earning capacity damages to replace the income you’ll lose over your lifetime. An economic expert will calculate your future medical expenses to ensure proper recovery or maintain health care needs related to your bicycle accident injuries.
Vocational Expert
This professional explains how your injuries affect your ability to work and the jobs you might be able to perform. They can also testify about why you can no longer work if you’re permanently disabled.
Mental Health Expert
A bicycle accident can cause psychological injuries that can be just as debilitating as your physical ones. So we might request that a mental health expert testify about how the accident affected you, the treatments and medications you need, and how your quality of life is impacted.
How to Find a Qualified Expert Witness for Your Washington Bicycle Accident Case
Fortunately, when you retain Max Meyers Law, you don’t have to search for an expert witness. From our decades of fighting for the rights of bicycle accident victims, we have a network of experts who provide critical evidence to support your case and who have good communication skills when testifying at a deposition or trial. It’s this type of thorough approach that our clients appreciate.
To learn more about how we assist you with a bicycle accident case, download our free book.
