The Role of An Expert Witness
A food service expert witness is a professional with enough knowledge and experience in the field to offer an impartial opinion to the court if needed. The role of the expert witness is to give his opinion on a legal matter to convince the court that you, as a restaurant owner, have adhered to the industry’s highest standards in taking care of your customers. In many jurisdictions, the court must permit the food service Expert Witness to offer evidence.
Expert witnesses are not expert advisers typically appointed by a given party to assist in the preparation of a claim or a defense. The food service expert witness will:
- Offer his independent, unbiased opinion in his area of expertise on the given subject matter. There are specific instructions they need to follow, and these instructions are clearly highlighted in the Expert Witness Report, which the court checks.
- The food service Expert Witness will deliver his opinion in the form of a report (evidence) in front of the court. Typically, the expert witness is not allowed to offer any proof without the existence of such a report.
You should always ensure that the expert’s report contains all necessary information as outlined by the Court Rules. You also need to provide the other party of the dispute with such a report. You are also entitled to receive the information of the other party involved so that you can consult it.
The food service Expert Witness will provide an unbiased and impartial opinion, regardless of whether this opinion speaks in your favor. It would be best if you kept in mind that an expert witness will not argue your case, and he will not work on finding evidence to build your case. They will also not provide any other type of opinion/ evidence beyond their specific area of expertise. An expert witness does not give advice, and he will not act as a negotiator.
