An accident reconstruction specialist plays a crucial role in establishing how your accident and injuries occurred and proving the negligence of the defendants in a personal injury case. Whether the accident involves a passenger vehicle or a commercial truck, an accident reconstructionist can use advanced tools and software to accurately recreate the events.
With that said, it takes a stellar car accident injury attorney in Mississippi to put the evidence provided by an accident reconstruction expert to good use. Your attorney can analyze and interpret the accident reconstruction data and information, and use it to corroborate witness testimonies, and physical and forensic evidence in order to prove your claim.
Impact of Accident Reconstruction on Different Types of Crashes
Accident reconstruction experts use a wide range of advanced tools and techniques to help determine fault in a crash and show the actual extent of the trauma caused. Accident reconstructionists undergo constant and extensive training in different areas related to motor vehicle accidents. This includes 3D animation, forensic mapping, and crash simulation among others.
Commercial Truck Accidents
There are special dynamics that come into play when large commercial trucks and buses are involved in accidents. Longer stopping distances, large size, and high center of gravity are a few necessary factors that need to be considered for accurate accident reconstruction. The force of a collision between a truck hitting a car is virtually inconceivable to anyone that has not been trained as a professional reconstructionist.
The information from the truck’s electronic data recorder (EDR) must be downloaded as soon as possible to reconstruct the accident accurately and hold the negligent truck and trucking company liable for your personal injuries.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Car crash reconstruction can be used for determining the speeds of the vehicles at the time of impact, use of seatbelts, pre-impact locations, and the manner and force of the impact resulting in your injuries. It can also be used to determine the location of impact and the positioning before the collision. The accident reconstructionist will also evaluate physical evidence, such as photos, videos, skid marks on the road, and vehicle damage to recreate the scene of the accident.
Pedestrian Collision
In terms of accident reconstruction, pedestrian accidents present the most challenges. These usually occur in areas where there is a mixture of pedestrians, vehicles, signals, and intersections. It usually requires trained experts to thoroughly understand the available evidence and its relationship to different types of pedestrian crashes.
There are 5 major types of pedestrian collisions:
- Wrap trajectory: In this type of collision, the decelerating vehicle usually ends up striking an adult pedestrian. The torso of the pedestrian gets wrapped on the hood of the vehicle.
- Forward projection: This type of accident usually involves children because they have a lower center of mass as compared to the front of the vehicle.
- Fender vault: The pedestrian comes in contact with the outer edge of the car and has their torso wrapped on the hood. They exit to one side of the vehicle because of the high impact.
- Roof vault: These accidents usually occur at high speeds. The pedestrian becomes airborne in this type of collision.
- Somersault: The pedestrian is flipped into the air and back on the road in these rare collisions.
The accident reconstruction expert will carefully analyze the pedestrian collision scene, condition and location of vehicle damage, and the pedestrian’s injuries to determine the force and point of impact. In addition, the reconstruction expert will also determine whether the person suffered any secondary injuries while on the ground from the same or different vehicle.
Motorcycle Accident
There has been a steady increase in injuries and deaths involving motorcyclists and passengers. This is due to an increase in ridership numbers and a relaxation in helmet laws. Accident reconstruction specialists are effective in reconstructing the specifics leading to a motorcycle crash.
These experts are specially trained in the dynamics surrounding the operation and motion of motorbikes. In many cases, a thorough evaluation is required by an accident reconstructionist to determine the actual cause and fault of the motorcycle collision.
Accident Reconstruction Experts Can Provide Forensic Mapping
Accident reconstruction teams can measure an accident scene in the minimum possible time frame. They have special training and equipment to make sure the accident scene can get cleared quickly without affecting the evidence. Reliable accident reconstruction specialists make use of modernistic surveying equipment to create infinitely accurate 3D models of the crash scene.
This evidence is preserved to be used in addition to damaged vehicles and witness recollection. In most cases, accident reconstruction becomes a key element in determining the fault and cause of an accident. It can be used for identifying contributory negligence where two or more parties are responsible for the accident. An accident reconstructionist can usually identify the reasons behind a crash, such as faulty road conditions, careless driving, reckless driving, and equipment failure, among other factors.
Personal injury attorneys are only left with witness testimony without the help of a trained accident reconstruction specialist. Unfortunately, testimony can often be conflicting with witnesses providing inaccurate and reluctant accounts of the event. This makes it important to work with a personal injury attorney that has the resources and knowledge to hire an experienced accident reconstruction company.
Choose a Results-Driven Personal Injury Law Firm with a Track Record of Large Settlements and Verdicts
The trusted personal injury attorneys at Boyce Holleman & Associates have extensive experience in dealing with all types of motor vehicle accidents where significant bodily injury or wrongful death is involved.
Our investigative team works with the attorneys to gather useful evidence. Where required we hire trained specialists to reconstruct the accident scene and provide expert testimony to bolster your claim. To schedule your free consultation, call us at 228-338-2691 or fill out this online contact form.
