Enhancing Credibility in the Courtroom

In developing life care plans for individuals who are catastrophically injured, it is inevitable that the life care planner will eventually be presenting and defending a plan in front of a jury in a court of law. With the Daubert decision, the Supreme Court provided a framework for the presentation of expert witness testimony in the courtroom (Daubert, 1993). But, what are the dynamics of being perceived as a credible witness by the jury when presenting expert testimony and how can an expert witness “connect” with that jury? In the context of this article, connecting is defined as the ability to persuade a jury with one’s testimony. Understanding these dynamics and avoiding the “hired gun” effect are the subjects of this article.