Moments after an accident, occupants of all vehicles involved are often asked to provide their own version of exactly what happened. During this moment the details can be fuzzy and in the case of a serious accident, the victim may not share their story with law enforcement until hours after the crash occurred.
Technical accident investigators and reconstructionists can help car accident lawyers reconstruct the scene of an accident and unearth important facts. A professional accident reconstructionist studies and trains in engineering and physics. Each of these subjects can help the professional examine evidence and recreate the scene and circumstances.
Some things an accident reconstructionist will examine includes:
- Where the vehicle rested after the accident
- Tire or skid marks on the road
- The location of accident debris
- Damage to other objects such as a guardrail or tree
- Hazardous conditions on the road (poor lighting, bad road design, interfering shrubbery)
Law enforcement will investigate the scene of an accident as well, however, they will focus on potential driver violations such as speeding.
An accident reconstructionist on the other hand will examine the scene, collect evidence, analyze all evidence and compare their findings to the testimony provided by officers who were on the scene, witnesses, drivers and all other vehicle occupants.
Reconstructionists will rebuild the scene and determine factors such as driver behavior, speed and whether or not the accident could have been avoided. A reconstructionist may be hired to determine:
- Was the driver was speeding
- Who was wearing a seatbelt?
- Could the accident have been avoided?
- Was the road poorly designed?
- Could certain injuries have been avoided if the victim was wearing a seatbelt?
These factors can all help a jury determine how much liability each individual has for the crash. Additionally, the reconstructionist may be brought in to demonstrate their findings using models and illustrations.
A technical accident investigator or accident reconstructionist can be used to build a strong case and help victims or car accidents get the justice they deserve.
At the law office of Greg Monforton & Partners, each personal injury lawyer at our firm has a wide range of industry experts available to help make your claim as robust as possible. For more information, we welcome you to contact our team at (866) 320-4770.
Greg Monforton & Partners – Est. 1981.