by Oxfam International

As defined by the dictionary, an expert witness is a person who has acquired specialization in a subject, often technical or other fields as well, who may present expert views without having been a witness to any incidence relating to the lawsuit or criminal case. It is an exception to the principle against giving an opinion in trial only if, the expert is purely trained by evidence of his/her proficiency, training and special knowledge.
 
In most of the legal cases, expert witness engineers are liable to give unified decision and are critical to the success of your case. Again, in many instances an expert professional can assist by-

Case study of technical facts

Preparing an expert case-specific engineering report supporting the legal issues

Being ousted

Witnessing at court

Civil engineers must utilize their education and experience to plan, intend and supervise the projects of construction site in various industries. Moreover, a civil engineer must examine, devise, plan and assist in the execution of every step of the project. He/she will verify that all official procedures are followed along with the necessary formalities. The responsibility of the project manager is to endorse that the particular design plans are followed. The design of the construction project is done with the incorporation of commonly established engineering standards and practices. A closing report may be prepared showing that how the project was actually built as compared to the plans. Moreover, an engineer can also authoritatively verify the safety measures are being followed throughout the project period. Indeed, the professionals play important role to any construction project but can also be very imperative to any legal representative that is in need of an expert witness.

When seeking for an expert witness engineers, you must seek the assistance of professional expert. In this regard, it is important to look at the experience of your expert witness, whether education or in the field. It is crucial to your case for the expert to have relevant experience. The judge or the opposing side may feel your expert is experienced and qualified or not and you should not waste your time for a non-qualified professional.  An apprentice civil engineer hasn’t acquired that level of proficiency and will probably not have handled many different project situations so far. Also, education alone is not a designation of a good expert. Experience on the job is an essential requirement for an expert witness.

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