The assessment of pain and suffering damages is different for each claim because the circumstances of each injury victim from before the accident will vary, and injuries impact everyone differently.
Physical Injuries
Physical injuries often take away from a person’s ability to do or enjoy what they did before the accident. People may not be able to continue to work in their career or they may have trouble engaging in activities with their children or have difficulty participating in hobbies and doing things they are passionate about, etc. Some injury victims lose their abilities completely, but most people end up pushing through pain to do the things they need to do and used to love to do, usually with much less frequency than before. These impacts fall under the umbrella of “pain and suffering.”
It is common knowledge that expert witness fees can be one of the highest costs in litigation, if not the highest. Especially if a referral service invoices for the expert assisting on the case. Therefore, an attorney will try to mitigate these costs by:
Finding an expert on their own, and using that expert on multiple cases
Asking around, via email blast or word of mouth, to see if anyone has an expert in the required specialty
Using a local doctor to screen their case, and trying to find an expert that agrees with this opinion
In addition to the risks and costs of the above there are many expert horror stories, that involve:
Not disclosing a disciplinary action
Not actively performing the procedure or care in question
Yes, knowing that you need an appropriately qualified expert is the first step in properly investigating the merits of your case, and connecting with the right expert is an investment that pays off starting with record review, all the way through to trial. Let Saponaro, Inc. assist you from the beginning, so you avoid these common mistakes.
As we continue to wind through the coronavirus, the most obvious cases of infection have centered around our nursing homes. There is no doubt that nursing homes and similar group living facilities are in a difficult position. USA TODAY reports that a minimum of 2300 long-term care facilities in 37 states have reported positive cases of COVID-19 and that over 3000 residents had died. Because the infection spreads rapidly and is not always symptomatic, nursing homes that exercise reasonable care may still experience an outbreak. USA TODAY also reports that before the pandemic, 75% of nursing homes had been cited for failing to properly monitor and control infection in the past three years.
Elderly and immuno-compromised individuals are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 and whether the facility that they reside in is responsible for their infection requires a thorough investigation. (more…)
It is surprising how many civil cases involve sports. From unsafe sports facilities and gear, to devastating sports injuries, to medical malpractice for concussion diagnosis and treatment – all of these can commonly involve the use of a sport expert witness to provide clarification and expert testimony.
