You may have heard of expert witnesses before. Chances are, the first thing that comes to mind is a medical or forensic expert in a high-profile murder case seen on television. But did you know that there are different types of experts than can be valuable assets in other types of litigation? Here are some examples.
Expert Witnesses
Expert witnesses are specialized in their fields and testify on behalf of either party in a case. Testimony is taken into great consideration, potentially more so than hearsay on the part of witnesses intimately associated with the case. Medical experts are not the sole source of testimony, however. A financial expert witness, vocational expert, mental health expert, engineering expert and even parenting expert can speak into a case and provide unbiased, valuable insight from a third party unrelated to the case.
Consulting Experts
Consulting experts can also assist a case greatly from a strategic standpoint. Whereas expert witnesses testify, consulting experts assist on putting the case together, representing the interests of the clients they serve and providing specialized knowledge of the issue at hand. Consulting experts can, however, help to locate expert witnesses if they are needed to strengthen a case on the stand. Another difference between consulting experts and expert witnesses is that consulting experts are generally leveraged for a greater length of time, which results in increased billable hours as opposed to the one-time report and testimony solicited for the expert witness.
Expert witnesses and consulting experts are valuable assets to high-stakes cases requiring in-depth, specialized knowledge. There are numerous types of expert witnesses that can assist in a case limited only by the type of litigation performed. Consulting experts typically don’t provide testimony, but they can prove extremely beneficial in putting together case strategy and other functions. Depending on your case, engaging an expert can be the best way to go.
