September 9, 2013. If you find your business in a lawsuit, you might be tempted to avoid hiring an expert for various reasons. First, experts can be expensive. Second, it might be a “close call” in terms of whether an expert opinion is actually necessary to assist the jury in your case. Or, perhaps you are an expert in the particular subject matter. For example, you might be an architect or engineer being sued for professional negligence; why should you pay another “expert” to express opinions which you, yourself, are more than capable of offering at a savings of thousands of dollars? Because it makes a difference.
While you might not technically need an expert, and although you might be capable of testifying on your own behalf, you should almost always err on the side of hiring an expert when a lawsuit is initiated (especially if the dispute does not involve a small amount of money). Sometimes, it will make sense to retain an expert before litigation ensues, to obtain a neutral third party’s opinion regarding your dispute and, potentially, enable you to resolve the dispute before litigation ensues.
If a lawsuit is unavoidable, juries frequently find experts persuasive; in other words, paying a third party to support your position, even if they end up saying the same thing you would say, is frequently more effective. Also, you have a business to run; hiring an expert should allow you to devote less time to the lawsuit. There are many things to gain by hiring an expert. Do it. To contact the Goosmann Law Firm you may call us at 712.226.4000 or email info@goosmannlaw.com.