When a product fails to perform safely or as intended, the consequences can be devastating. Victims may face serious injuries, permanent disabilities, or overwhelming financial losses, and defective product claims often involve detailed technical, scientific, and medical details that go far beyond ordinary knowledge.
In these cases, courts and juries often rely on expert witnesses to explain how and why a product failed, who bears responsibility, and what damages resulted. Without this testimony, even strong cases can falter under scrutiny.
At The Law Office of Steve Slough, we represent clients in Clayton, Missouri, who have suffered harm from dangerous or defective products. We can help you understand how expert testimony can impact a defective product case and how it can be used to strengthen your claim.
In Missouri, product liability law allows injured consumers to hold manufacturers, distributors, and retailers accountable for injuries caused by their products. These cases typically fall into three categories:
Design defects: Flaws in the product’s blueprint or concept that make the product inherently unsafe.
Manufacturing defects: Errors in the production process that result in dangerous deviations from the intended design.
Failure to warn or inadequate instructions: The product lacks proper labeling or safety warnings that would have prevented injury.
Each type of claim requires detailed evidence and a technical explanation. A defective product attorney can use expert testimony to help demonstrate precisely where the failure occurred and how it caused injury.
In defective product cases, the burden of proof lies with the injured party. This means that you must show that the product was faulty, that the defect caused the injury, and that the product was being used as intended or in a reasonably foreseeable way. However, achieving this requires more than personal accounts or photographs.
Expert witnesses help bridge the gap between detailed engineering principles and legal standards. Their analysis transforms scientific data into understandable, credible evidence for the court. Without expert input, judges or juries might dismiss claims as speculation rather than proven fact.
Expert testimony can often be essential for winning cases and for making sure that justice reflects both the technical truth and the human impact.
Depending on the product and circumstances, you and your attorney may be able to work with a range of experts to strengthen your case. For defective product cases, different types of experts can contribute unique insight, including:
Engineering experts: They can analyze product design, materials, and construction to determine whether flaws caused the failure.
Manufacturing experts: They can review production records, assembly methods, and quality control processes to uncover errors or deviations.
Human factors experts: They can explain how the design interacts with typical user behavior and whether accidents were foreseeable.
Medical experts: They can describe the nature and extent of injuries, link them to the defect, and discuss long-term effects.
Economic or vocational experts: They can assess lost income, diminished earning capacity, and future financial losses.
By coordinating these perspectives, you can create a comprehensive picture of liability and damages. The credibility and clarity provided by these experts often determine how persuasively your case is presented.
The most fundamental question in any product liability case is whether the product was actually defective. Expert witnesses typically play a pivotal role in identifying and explaining these defects.
For example, an engineering expert may perform tests or simulations to demonstrate that a car’s airbag failed to deploy due to a faulty sensor. A materials expert might show that a medical implant was made from substandard metals, leading to corrosion within the body.
These professionals can translate their findings into terms accessible to judges and jurors and show how their technical explanations connect directly to the legal elements of the case: duty, breach, causation, and damages.
Proving that a product defect directly caused the injury is often the most challenging part of a case. The opposing counsel and corporate defense teams may argue that external factors, such as user error or pre-existing conditions, were responsible.
Medical and engineering experts are often vital in countering these arguments. They can demonstrate that, under normal use, the injury would not have occurred without the product’s failure. For instance, a biomechanical expert might show that a seatbelt’s design actually exacerbated injuries rather than preventing them.
Most products are governed by industry-specific regulations, testing requirements, and safety standards. Experts can help the court understand how these standards apply and whether the manufacturer complied with them. For example:
Compliance experts may discuss how a company’s design violated federal or state safety regulations.
Testing specialists can explain whether proper quality control procedures were ignored or falsified.
Industry experts can help clarify what a reasonable manufacturer should have done under similar circumstances.
These insights demonstrate negligence or recklessness that might not be visible from surface-level evidence alone.
Expert witnesses do more than prove liability; they also help establish the full value of the claim. In severe injury cases, financial recovery must reflect both immediate and long-term losses. Some common types of experts you might be able to engage include:
Medical experts who can detail treatment needs and permanent impairments.
Life care planners who can project the cost of ongoing medical or home care.
Economists who can estimate your lifetime earnings lost due to disability.
These analyses can present comprehensive damage calculations. This evidence not only supports fair compensation but also counters lowball settlement offers from insurers or defense attorneys.
When a case proceeds to trial, expert testimony typically becomes a foundation for your courtroom strategy. Experts may testify live, present visual models, or explain their testing methods. Their credibility and communication skills can often profoundly influence the jury’s perception.
Your attorney can work closely with each expert to prepare them for examination and cross-examination. It is their responsibility as a defective product attorney to make sure that the expert's testimony is clear, concise, and aligned with the overall case narrative. Visual aids, demonstrations, and simplified language can help jurors understand detailed technical concepts without confusion.
Judges also rely heavily on expert testimony when ruling on admissibility under the Daubert standard—a legal test that determines whether expert evidence is scientifically valid. Selecting qualified experts who meet these standards is essential to retain critical testimony in the court record.
Handling a defective product claim without expert support—or without experienced legal counsel—can jeopardize your ability to recover compensation. These cases require a combination of technical knowledge, investigative skill, and courtroom experience.
At The Law Office of Steve Slough, we have cultivated relationships with leading experts in engineering, medicine, and product safety. We coordinate every aspect of the case, from evidence collection to expert depositions, to make sure that our clients’ voices are heard and their injuries fully recognized.
Located in Clayton, Missouri, we serve clients throughout St. Louis, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County, Missouri, as well as across St. Clair and Madison Counties in Illinois. If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective product, contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation.
When a product fails to perform safely or as intended, the consequences can be devastating. Victims may face serious injuries, permanent disabilities, or overwhelming financial losses, and defective product claims often involve detailed technical, scientific, and medical details that go far beyond ordinary knowledge.
Medical malpractice can be one of the most stressful and emotional experiences a person faces. When you or a loved one suffers harm due to a medical professional's mistake, the emotional and financial impact can be overwhelming. Filing a medical malpractice claim requires careful preparation and attention to detail.
