An expert opinion is a conclusion reached by an expert in a particular field of knowledge, often based on research that the expert has conducted. It is often based on methods, instruments and techniques that are established and relied upon by the expert’s peer group.
Eliciting experts is common in many areas, including engineering, medicine, oil and gas exploration, war planning – essentially wherever there is a degree of uncertainty that cannot be fully determined using available data. Eliciting an expert’s opinion is used to supplement, adjust or correct existing data.
However, experts can be unreliable and their opinions faulty. They may have a biased point of view, fail to adequately test their results or have their conclusions influenced by outside interests (such as the desire to avoid appearing hostile to opposing counsel).
The quality of an expert’s opinion is generally dependent on how much time he or she spends gathering information, making inferences and reaching a conclusion. This is why it is important to allow an expert sufficient time to complete the work required, and not be forced to accept cases with low budgets or tight deadlines that force him to cut corners in his or her analysis.
It is also critical that the expert understands that he or she must give reasons for the conclusions in his or her report. Bald conclusions are generally inadmissible, and a failure to give adequate reasoning can be a significant detriment to a case.