The right expert can make all the difference in your case
Plaintiff’s lawyers know all too well the many tactics that insurance companies and defense attorneys use to minimize or outright deny claims. Having the right medical expert on your side can help counter those tactics and more effectively protect your client’s rights. Here’s how.
Providing strong medical evidence to support a claim
Of course, in the medical malpractice arena, you need a medical expert on board before the insurance company will even consider paying up. But even outside the context of medical malpractice, having a medical expert prepared to testify about causation (where applicable) and damages can show the insurance company that you are serious about litigating the case. A medical expert’s analysis of your client’s injuries and symptoms can both strengthen your liability case and show the insurance company that the damages are significant.
Countering defense experts
Many injury cases turn into a “battle of the experts” as each side tries to persuade the finder of fact that the medicine favors their case. In those circumstances, having an experienced and effective medical expert witness on your side can put you in a strong position to counter their expert’s testimony. The right expert can poke holes in the other side’s analysis and undermine their arguments. Moreover, consulting with your expert before you take their expert’s deposition can prepare you to make their expert look less credible; often, this puts pressure on the insurance company to pay up in settlement negotiations.
Demonstrating your client’s long-term care needs
In cases involving long-term or permanent injuries, the insurance company has additional motivation to minimize the value of the claim by any means possible. Physician long-term care planners can be especially valuable in this situation because they can provide a comprehensive analysis of all your client’s medical needs. A physician long-term care planner can also independently evaluate the patient and create their own recommendations based on their medical diagnosis, rather than having to rely on other providers.
Preparing to tell a compelling story at trial
While the vast majority of cases ultimately settle before trial, showing the insurance company you’re prepared to go to court if that’s what it takes is often necessary to get the best settlement. A huge part of showing you are prepared for trial is having an expert on board who is prepared to offer compelling trial testimony—and who will remain unfazed and compelling during cross-examination by defense counsel. If the insurance company knows they can’t break your expert, you will be in a position of strength at the negotiating table and, if necessary, in the courtroom.
Talk to Rieback Medical-Legal Consultants today
Again, it’s not enough to have an expert who is qualified on paper; you need a physician who has the experience and credibility needed to provide compelling testimony and assist throughout the litigation process. Rieback Medical-Legal Consultants has been providing the best in medicine to assist the legal community since 1986, and we have extensive experience working with plaintiff’s lawyers as well as defense lawyers in high-stakes injury litigation.
When you’re up against an insurance company, having the right expert in your corner matters. Our team can help you find your expert. Give us a call or contact us online today to learn more.
"Rieback Medical-Legal Consultants has consistently connected me with well-credentialed, objective physicians who are willing to call it like they see it. Thanks to you, I have worked with some of the best specialists in their fields. I have worked with a number of different expert witness services over the years. Ellen, you are in a different league from any of them." — Hartley Hampton, Hampton & King, Attorneys at Law, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐