When you hire a car accident lawyer, part of your attorney’s job is to investigate the crash. You and your car crash lawyer are responsible for establishing that the crash was the other party’s fault. Attorneys gather evidence about car accidents in many different ways, including talking to witnesses, seeking out video evidence, and working with expert witnesses.
One common type of expert witness in a car accident case is an accident reconstructionist.
What Does an Accident Reconstructionist Do?
An accident reconstructionist works backward from the information available about the crash to create a clearer picture of how the crash happened. Some of this information will be provided by your car accident attorney, while the accident reconstructionist will gather other information on their own. The types of evidence considered may include:
- The police report or crash report
- Photographs of the vehicles after the crash
- Photographs of the accident scene after the crash
- Any available video of the collision
- Weather and lighting conditions at the time of the collision
- Vehicle repair estimates
- Witness statements
- Inspection of the vehicle
- Inspection of the crash site
- Vehicle specifications
- Vehicle maintenance records
- Crash test reports on vehicles of the same make, model and year
- Recall information about the vehicles involved
- Injuries to the occupants of the vehicles
Many accident reconstructionists today use technology to assess the available data in more detail than would be possible manually. For example, if the vehicle isn’t available for physical inspection, it may be difficult to tell the precise degree of damage to the vehicle. That in turn makes it difficult to determine the momentum of the crash, which helps determine the speed at which the vehicles were traveling. However, computerized enhancement of photographs of the vehicles may reveal additional detail. The best option is always personal inspection of the vehicle, but when that isn’t possible, technological tools may help.
The accident reconstructionist then provides your car crash lawyer with materials such as:
- A written report showing their conclusions
- An animated recreation of the accident
- Diagrams that help explain exactly how the crash occurred
How Does This Information Help an Auto Accident Lawyer Build a Case?
An accident reconstructionist’s report can help your car accident lawyer prove liability by drawing conclusions such as:
- How fast the vehicle was traveling at the time of the collision
- The exact angle at which one vehicle hit the other
- Whether the vehicle decelerated immediately before the crash
This information can help show liability, for example, by demonstrating that one party was speeding at the time of the collision or that one vehicle crossed the center line.
Your Car Crash Lawyer May Call the Accident Reconstructionist to Testify
Most car accident cases settle. An accident reconstructionist can help your car accident attorney settle the case by providing a report and other information that helps establish that the other driver was at fault. The insurance company’s lawyers will be more inclined to settle the case, and to offer fair compensation, if they believe you have clear evidence of liability and will likely win your case if it goes to trial.
Some car accident cases do go to trial, though. That may happen because there is a question about who was at fault, or simply because the insurance company chooses not to make a reasonable settlement offer. Some insurance companies are more inclined to settle than others, and most insurers are more likely to fight when there are larger sums of money at stake.
At trial, an accident reconstructionist can assist by:
- Explaining the information in their report in plain English to help the jury understand how the accident happened
- Showing the jury diagrams that help explain how the accident happened
- Walking the jury through an animation of the accident and explaining what it tells us about the cause of the accident
- Countering claims from the insurance carrier that contradict the evidence they have examined
The Sooner an Accident Reconstructionist Gets Involved, the Better
In the aftermath of a serious car accident, time is critical — especially when it comes to preserving evidence.
By contacting a car accident attorney as soon as possible, you give them the opportunity to act quickly — whether that means securing video footage, photographing the scene, or involving a reconstructionist before evidence disappears. For example:
- Skid marks at the crash scene may have faded away over time, or it may simply be impossible to conclusively tie the markings on the road to your crash
- The road will have been cleared, eliminating both evidence of debris that might have contributed to the collision and of how far away and in what direction crash-related debris landed
- The vehicles may have been repaired or scrapped, making it impossible for the accident reconstructionist to conduct a thorough inspection
- Witness memories may have faded, or witnesses may be difficult to locate
- Video from nearby security cameras or traffic cams may no longer be available
- Bystanders who may have taken photographs or video may be difficult to identify and contact
The First Step is to Contact an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer
The injury attorneys at Harrell & Harrell have extensive experience choosing, hiring and working with expert witnesses to build strong cases for injury victims. We also understand how important it is for you to speak with a qualified attorney as soon as possible. The loss of evidence is just one of the ways delay can hurt your car accident case.
We offer free consultations to people who have been injured in car accidents in and around Jacksonville. Our no-obligation consultations allow you to:
- Ask questions
- Get a high-level assessment of the strength of your claim
- Learn more about how the car accident claims process and car accident lawsuits work
- Determine your comfort level with the attorney and the law firm
- Gather information that will help you avoid damaging your claim
The sooner you get that information, the better. You can schedule your free consultation right now by calling (904) 251-1111 or filling out our contact form.