In How Attorneys Can Best Utilize Their Medical Expert Witness: A Medical Expert’s Perspective, Dr. Vernon M. Neppe MD, PhD, FRSSAf, FAPA, writes that expert witness testimony depends on finding an appropriate match for your case. This excerpt deals with commitment to an expert.
You have retained your expert: The commitment to an expert is made more permanent once the expert is declared or the definite decision is made to declare him / her at an appropriate later time (e.g. when experts need to be made public). You have decided you will proceed with that expert and you need to utilize as many techniques as possible to optimize having that expert.
Clearly, one wants to save the expert time, because that will save the attorney money. But do not make the error of trying a short cut with your key expert. Always ensure (s)he is provided with everything that could possibly be deemed necessary to ensure an adequate educated well-thought out opinion that the other side cannot negate due to not disclosing everything necessary.
More to follow on assisting civil litigation attorneys with medical experts from Dr. Neppe, Director, Pacific Neuropsychiatric Institute, Seattle, WA, www.brainvoyage.com.