In personal injury lawsuits, both sides may use expert witnesses to support their case and prove essential factors for personal injury cases. An expert witness is someone who has professional knowledge of a particular subject matter related to the case at hand.
There are many types of expert witnesses attorneys might use in a personal injury case. Each and every expert must have appropriate training and knowledge in order to testify in court.
One type of expert witness which is commonly utilized in serious auto accident lawsuits is a roadway or highway design, expert. If your injuries happened as a result of a crash on a highway or major road and your attorney believes the design of the roadway contributed to the crash, a roadway design expert may be retained to help support your case.
The Role of a Roadway Design Expert
With millions of cars, trucks and motorcycles traveling on U.S. highways every day, it’s important that these roadways are designed in a safe and practical matter. At high speeds, collisions can be serious and sometimes deadly, and the characteristics of a road are liable to end up in court at times.
Roadway design experts examine crash sites, use field measurements, scrutinize crash scene photos, and work with accident reconstruction experts to determine if highway factors or road conditions contributed to the cause of your collision. These experts must have a deep technical knowledge of highway designs and infrastructure, often possessing high-level civil engineering degrees.
These experts often also have a background in traffic safety, traffic operation, and transportation networks. A highway design expert will also assess if a construction zone contributed to the collision.
A roadway design expert’s primary duty is to share their findings for the court to review. Their findings must be unbiased — what’s known as “expert shopping” is strongly discouraged. A roadway design expert provides their analysis, reviews, investigations, and professional opinions about the case as it relates to the design of the road.
Roadway design experts can bolster your case because they can lend support to your argument that the design of the road was at least partially at fault for the accident. When used in your favor, roadway design expert witnesses can solidify your case and help you recover a fair settlement that covers all your damages.
Contact an Attorney to Secure Your Legal Rights
Attorney Chris Davis and the team of car accident lawyers at Davis Law Group, P.S., have been representing those who suffer serious injuries in Seattle and across Washington state for nearly 25 years. If you or a loved one has been injured in any type of accident caused by someone else's negligence, contact Davis Law Group today for your free case evaluation with an experienced attorney.
Call (206) 727-4000, use the chat feature below or fill out the form on this page to get started.
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