In Virginia, the law states that before a personal injury lawyer can file a medical malpractice claim and serve it, they need the certification of another doctor who believes the standard of care has been breached.

How do the lawyers at Shapiro Washburn & Sharp find doctors to testify in what may be a case against another doctor? It can be difficult, but we have sort of formal processes and kind of informal processes to find those doctors, including looking for doctors that practice both in the state and out-of-state. If you believe you’ve been a victim of medical malpractice, call our office at 833-997-1774 to schedule a free consultation to learn more about your legal rights and options for seeking justice and maximum compensation.

How Will Your Firm Use a Medical Expert’s Testimony?

If your malpractice case goes all the way to trial, a key element to convincing the jury you deserve full compensation is having a doctor testify by deposition or at the trial to describe the injury, its permanent aspects, and how it will adversely affect your daily activities and quality of life. Attorneys hired by insurance companies also know the importance of medical testimony, so their strategy is to obtain testimony from a competing doctor to testify against you to minimize your injury.

Our malpractice lawyers find excellent doctors at great cost because their time is valuable, but that’s what you need to do to get the right kind of expert on board to explain how the standard of care was breached. If the case goes to trial, the jury ultimately needs to hear from a quality doctor who really knows what they’re doing and can be convincing when they explain why a standard of care was breached. This is critical to the success of a medical malpractice case.

What Other Expert Witnesses Could a Malpractice Lawyer Call to Testify?

A lawyer may also use the testimony of other types of expert witnesses to prove the facts of a malpractice case. Our malpractice lawyers understand the impact of good expert testimony on a personal injury case and regularly use the services of doctors of all types, liability experts, and other professionals to substantiate all kinds of aspects of a personal injury case. An expert witness offers more detailed and comprehensive testimony than other witnesses who may have been involved in some way with the incident, either directly or indirectly.

This runs a broad spectrum from doctors of all specialties and medical illustrators (illustrating surgery or injury) to job/vocational counselor experts (lost earnings or earning capacity), economists (lost earnings), and experts on product failure or defect, etc.

There are some cases where an expert witness provides the most profound evidence that the victim’s injuries were the result of the at-fault party’s negligence and how those injuries affect the victim’s life.

The different types of expert witnesses that a personal injury attorney may call to testify include:

  • Economics experts: Economics experts are often called to testify to explain how the injury has impacted the financial situation of a victim and how it may impact them in the future.
  • Mental health experts: Mental health experts are often called to testify to explain how the malpractice may have affected the mental and emotional well-being of the victim. This information can be used to calculate financial compensation for damages such as pain and suffering, and emotional distress.

Why Choose Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp?

At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, we have decades of experience representing clients in medical malpractice cases throughout Virginia. As a trusted medical malpractice law firm, we are committed to holding negligent doctors and healthcare providers accountable for their actions. We represent our clients on a contingency-fee basis, meaning you won’t pay any legal fees unless we win your case.

If you believe a doctor’s negligence has harmed you or a loved one, acting quickly is crucial. Medical malpractice claims have strict time limits, and waiting too long can prevent you from seeking the compensation you deserve. Contact our office today at 833-997-1774 for a free consultation. We are ready to help you understand your legal options and ensure that your rights are protected.