Even if the liability of the negligent driver involved in your car accident is clear-cut, his insurance company may deny your claim or argue that you were at least partially at fault. In order to obtain the compensation you deserve, you will need to prove your case. While your own testimony will be helpful, you may need other types of evidence, such as eyewitness testimony and pictures of the crash scene. You may also want to hire an accident reconstruction expert when liability is being disputed.
What Is an Accident Reconstruction Expert?
An accident reconstruction expert is a person who is qualified to recreate how your collision occurred and who caused it based on his education, training, and work experience. People who have the expertise to make these conclusions usually have a background in engineering, science, or law enforcement.
When Could You Need an Accident Reconstruction Expert?
Not all cases require the assistance of one of these experts—even when liability is in dispute. Here are situations when they may be necessary:
- You cannot remember how the accident occurred because of your injuries.
- A loved one or other passengers in the vehicle died in the crash.
- The vehicles were damaged so badly that they cannot be repaired.
- Vital pieces of evidence are missing.
- There were no eyewitnesses to the accident.
- Proving liability is complicated due to the particular facts of your case.
How Can an Accident Reconstruction Expert Help?
An accident reconstruction expert will conduct a thorough investigation of your accident before drawing his inclusions. This can include viewing the collision scene, photographs, vehicles involved in the crash, and the police report. He may also want to interview witnesses and review surveillance videos that recorded the wreck as it occurred. Using all of this evidence, he can provide the following helpful information:
- Determine the physics of the collision
- Establish the vehicles’ speed and movements
- Make conclusions as to whether the brakes were used or if a vehicle accelerated in the moments leading up to the crash
- Determine the force of the impact
- Determine if other factors, such as maintenance issues, weather, or road conditions, were a cause of the crash
- Create a reenactment of your accident, which is often done through the use of a computer program that shows how it most likely occurred and what damage it caused.
Your expert can testify as to his findings in your jury trial. In addition, he will prepare a written report that may be useful in convincing the insurance company that their insured was the at-fault driver.
An experienced car accident attorney will be able to help you decide if you need an accident reconstruction expert or another type of expert witness and will have a network of qualified experts that may be helpful in your case. To learn about your legal options and the evidence you will need to prove your right to compensation, start an online chat to schedule a free consultation today.
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