Winning Strategies: The Four Ps of Expert Witness Selection

When new lawyers graduate from law school, they often don’t know much about how important it is to pick the right expert witness for their cases. They usually have to learn how to find and hire expert witnesses from more experienced lawyers. But it’s really important to choose the best expert witness, because they can help make your case stronger or weaken your opponent’s case. Every party in a legal case wants to have the best expert witnesses on their side to help convince the jury. So, choosing the right expert is a big job for a trial lawyer. There are lots of different types of experts that a lawyer can call to help with their case, like medical experts in different specialties. Finding the right expert witness for a lawsuit can make a big difference. Experts are hired to help with the case before a lawsuit is filed or to explain a specific issue to the jury. Some are also hired to give opinions on who is at fault and how much money should be paid. After years of experience, I found that the best experts have four important qualities. They are practitioners in their field, they are professors, they have published important work, and they can explain things well to a jury. If an expert has all four of these qualities, they can really help a lawsuit. A “four P expert” is someone who is really good at what they do and can help in court cases. The “P” for practitioner means they have a lot of experience in their job, like being a doctor or engineer. A “P” for published means they have written articles or books about their work, so they really know what they’re talking about. These kinds of experts are respected and trusted in court because they are so knowledgeable. Professor and Presentation are the third and fourth qualities of a good expert witness. A professor can help teach the jury about the case, while a good presentation can make the expert more relatable and credible. It’s important for lawyers to choose expert witnesses who are good at teaching and presenting information to the jury. If someone wants to testify as an expert in a medical malpractice case, they have to be a licensed healthcare provider and meet certain criteria. If the doctor being sued is a specialist, the expert witness has to specialize in the same or similar specialty and have recent experience treating similar patients. They also need to have been practicing, teaching, or doing research in the same or similar specialty in the 3 years before the incident being sued over. Choosing a good expert witness is important for lawyers. It’s a mix of analyzing and trusting your instincts. With the rising cost of lawsuits, it’s crucial to pick the right expert. Spending time with potential experts helps refine your case. By following a method called the four Ps, lawyers can confidently choose the best expert witness.

Source: https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-journal/winning-strategies-the-four-ps-of-expert-witness-selection/