Most civil lawsuits, including personal injury claims, require at least one witness to continue the trial path. If you’re curious about the importance of witness testimony, a truck accident lawyer will introduce you to many important concepts below, including:
This blog is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not meant to act as legal advice. If you have questions about your accident, contact a licensed and experienced attorney near you.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, a witness is someone who sees (or witnesses) an event, such as a crime or accident, occur. In a personal injury case, there may be two types of witnesses as shared by our friends at Herschensohn Law Firm, PLLC:
An eye witness is someone who observed the accident take place. Their testimony is often very valuable because this is a person who only witnessed the accident. An expert witness is someone allowed to testify because they have specialized knowledge or proficiency in a field that is relevant to the accident. An example of an expert witness is a doctor testifying about an injury received because of the accident.
The Oxford Dictionary defines testimony as a formal written or spoken statement, especially in a court of law. When a witness takes the stand and takes an oath, they may then give their testimony about all or some of the accident claim. For example, a person who witnesses the accident may be able to take the stand and share relevant facts related to the accident. However, hearsay testimony is not allowed. This means that the witness on the stand may not testify to what someone else told them. For example, “I talked to Mrs. Gray, the manager of the bakery, and she told me X about the accident.” You may only testify to what you witnessed or heard directly, not what another person told you about the accident, even if you both witnessed it take place.
Witnesses may be necessary when:
A lawyer will let you know when and if witnesses are necessary. A legal expert will be the one to call in another expert as an expert witness. However, you can help find eye witnesses for those people who saw your accident happen. At the scene itself, you can collect witness contact information so that police and lawyers can call upon them later. If you miss out on witnesses at the scene, the police will gather their information, and your lawyer can always reach out to gather that information to contact witnesses.
If you have been involved in an accident, it is best to contact a lawyer as soon as possible after seeking proper medical care. They will help with witnesses, records collections, and more in order to ensure you get the compensation you deserve for what you went through in your accident.
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Ms. Katje earned her Juris Doctorate at California Western School of Law, San Diego, California, graduated Cum Laude and was a Dean’s Honor List recipient. She was also a recipient of the American Jurisprudence Award in Contracts I and Contracts II. Ms. Katje was a member of the Law Review and International Law Journal at California Western School Law, where she was an Associate Editor.
