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 Featured Article Note: Additional articles authored by AAIMCo members can be found on the Consulting Resources page.  Download
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An Expert Discusses Lawyers An Interview with Ted Marules, Sr. Previously Published in the Texas State Bar Journal What is the most challenging aspect about being an expert witness? Being able to put all of the information together in such a way that my answers are easy for the jury to understand and relate to their basic understanding of the case. Attorneys frequently make the cases so confusing with legal arguments and showmanship that the jury loses interest. What is your most memorable courtroom moment? I was on the stand, testifying for the plaintiff. There was a very vigorous debate between the attorneys as to whether or not a particular question was properly asked and answered. Finally, my attorney stood up and told the judge he would appreciate the court’s guidance on the question on the table. The defense attorney sat quietly. The judge pondered the question for a few moments, with everyone looking directly at him, and rendered his decision for the plaintiff. The defense attorney stood up, and in a quite loud voice said, “Your honor, I object.” The judge said, “You are objecting to my decision?” The defense attorney, head down and dumbfounded, said, “Oops. I didn’t mean to object to you, Your Honor. I guess I got caught up in the moment.” Everyone, including the judge, broke out laughing and the tension was broken. What does it take to be an expert in insurance claims? To be a good expert in insurance claims, it is essential that you have a claims background of sufficient duration to have seen and handled all types of claims. It normally takes five to 10 years of hands-on adjusting to have seen enough situations to be able to distinguish proper procedures. An adjuster must be able to master four concepts as a basic adjuster: investigation, evaluation, negotiation and settlement. Overall, I think good experts, in any field, should have teaching experience because the role of any expert is to help the jury understand complicated issues. What can attorneys do to better prepare you as an expert witness? Attorneys can help their expert by taking the time required to go over all possible issues that may come up in deposition or trial. What single aspect of your job do you most appreciate? The most rewarding experience to me is simply having my client call me after a case concludes and tell that my actions on their case helped in the resolution. And when they tell me they would like for me to work on another case!  Ted Marules, Sr. is an insurance claims and accident reconstruction expert with Ted Marules, Sr. & Associates, Inc., in Humble. He has been an expert for more than 30 years and has been a licensed senior adjuster since 1973. |
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