Does Your Case Need An Accident Reconstructionist?

In almost every kind of lawsuit, including those for injuries, there is one common theme: both parties often have differing views of how events transpired, and different opinions of who did, and said, what.

That is especially true in accident cases, where parties often point the finger at each other, with different viewpoints over who was where and when, and how fast or in what manner cars involved in an accident were driving.

No Record of the Accident

It is easier to see what happened in an accident when there is a video camera surveillance somewhere, but that isn’t always the case.

And the testimony of the parties to the accident is hardly reliable–not only do parties in an accident rarely remember the details of how an accident happened seconds before the accident, but they certainly are not neutral; each will give a version of what happened that best fits their side of the case.

In some cases, the expert may rely on data from the vehicles themselves, such as data culled from the electronic recorders (a car’s “black box”) that are on many newer model vehicles.

The expert will rely, to some extent, on the statements of the parties in the accident, but again, these are not always completely reliable or accurate.

What the Reconstructionist Does

That’s where an accident reconstructionist comes in.

An accident reconstructionist is an expert, who, as the name implies, recreates the accident, based on known facts and evidence.

The reconstructionist relies on a number of different scientific and technical fields, in order to recreate the accident. From computer knowledge to knowledge of physics to mechanical knowledge, the expert applies all of his or her expertise to the known facts of the case.

The expert reconstructionist makes his or her observations, based on physical evidence at the scene of an accident. That can include things like skid markings on the road, the final ending location of the vehicles involved, the nature, type, and extent of damage to both vehicles, and any photos that may exist of the damage to the vehicles.

The expert will even look at whether the car is damaged underneath, or whether there is grass, pavement or gravel lodged in the car’s body, and where it is lodged. The expert will see if doors were opened because of the accident, or whether internal structures of the car were damaged.

Getting the Car Examined

All of this, of course, assumes that the expert can actually examine the vehicle before it is repaired or destroyed–which is one reason to see an attorney quickly after your accident. Often, cars are repaired and fixed or trashed, leaving the reconstructionist with little evidence to make a conclusive determination as to how the accident happened.

Recreating the Accident

The expert, upon examining all of this, will then be able to tell the jury facts they otherwise would not have been able to know–which direction the cars were travelling in, about how fast they were going, and other crucial information to help you prove liability in your car accident case.

What experts do you need in your car accident case? Contact our Rhode Island car accident lawyers at Robert E. Craven & Associates at 401-453-2700 for help.

Source:

plaintiffmagazine.com/recent-issues/item/auto-accident-reconstruction-the-basics-you-must-know