What It's Like To Be an Expert Witness

Written by CareerBuilder for AOL

Each year, millions of lawsuits are filed in the United States by people seeking damages for emotional distress, defamation of character, loss of potential earnings or bills incurred from the negligence or intentional wrongdoing of others. In order to win these cases, the injured party -- or plaintiff -- must prove that the other party caused them harm.

To provide clarity on the facts of the case, and to prevent such cases from turning into a "he said, she said," both parties often bring in expert witnesses to testify on their behalves. For example, in malpractice suits, the plaintiff may bring in a doctor who claims that the defending physician did not meet the industry's "standard of care" -- or the reasonable level of attention and watchfulness that their peers would exercise in a similar situation.