Simply stated, the function of any expert witness is to educate the trier of fact (judge or jury) so as to lead that individual or group to the same inescapable conclusion that the expert reached. Of course, if, during the discovery process, the expert is successful in educating opposing counsel and leading him or her to the same conclusion as that reached by the expert, the matter may not come before an ultimate trier of fact at all. The parties may reach a settlement, or one might give up entirely.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/features/eye-of-experience-49aviation-litigation-the-expert-witness