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What is the Role of an Expert Medical Witness?

Navigating the medical or legal system can be a frustrating experience even if you're well and whole. Navigating both systems at once can be a frustrating, demoralizing, and discouraging experience whether you are the injured party or a family member supporting a loved one. Nobody should be made into a professional patient when trying to obtain fair compensation.

Whether it's looking for fair compensation after an accident or seeking redress for malpractice, misdiagnosis, failure to diagnose, or wrongful death, getting the testimony of an expert medical witness may be the best possible strategy to decisively win your case.

What Does an Expert Witness Do?

An expert witness is a professional that has experience and expertise in a given field such as medicine, engineering, or other specialized fields of study. These independent medical professionals must be qualified under the Federal Rules of Evidence, specifically under Rule 702 which governs expert witnesses.

A physician who is also an expert witness uses knowledge and diagnosis from their field of practice to give expert medical testimony in a case before the courts.

Won't the Court Appoint Expert Witnesses?

In some cases - governed by Rule 706 - the court can and will appoint an expert witness of its own or agree to a petition by the parties to appoint an expert, but both the plaintiff and defendant are allowed to hire their own expert witnesses as long as they conform to Rule 707. Moreover, under Rule 705, the expert's opinion is not inviolate to cross-examination.

While the witness may give their expert medical testimony without disclosing methods, facts, and underlying data, they can be compelled to testify as to all three when examined by opposing counsel. These three rules make it very important to obtain an expert medical witness of good reputation and experience in their field of practice.

Can I Find an Expert Medical Witness in Phoenix?

Finding an expert medical witness in Phoenix is a matter of what specialty is needed. For x-ray second opinion to expert medical testimony, Diagnostic X-Ray Consultation Services offers an array of services for those seeking expert medical advice and opinion from a respected expert in the medical community. Dr. Gary Longmuir is a published expert in diagnostic imaging, epidemiology, with a post-doctoral fellowship in Magnetic Resonance Imaging and a Doctor of Chiropractic.