Have you ever wondered how law enforcement determines the cause of a car accident if everyone in the vehicle has died? What if the people in the crash survive, but don’t remember or didn’t see what happened? What if there is a dispute among the witnesses about what happened? When all the facts of an accident are disputed or unknown, car accident reconstruction teams are an excellent resource to help investigators reveal liability for the crash and determine who should be held responsible for the injuries sustained by the victims.
Car Accident Reconstruction Team Methodology
Crash reconstruction is very similar to the work of forensics experts at a crime scene. Many areas throughout the country have accident reconstruction professionals that work as a division of local law enforcement. Teams consist of specialists such as forensic engineers, mathematicians, mechanics, physicists, computer graphics specialists, and photographers.
Crash reconstruction teams utilize scientific methodology to determine the cause of a car accident. The scene of the crash usually reveals the first clues. For example, skid marks can help determine speed and reveal which drivers applied their breaks and when, and who perhaps had the last chance to avoid the accident. Damage to the vehicles, including point of impact and broken glass help uncover the angle of impact. Medical reports from the victims are also useful to the team in their evaluation of the angle and magnitude of the impact. Traffic light functioning, the time of day, road conditions, and weather reports all factor into the team’s simulations and conclusions.
How Attorneys Work with Crash Reconstruction Experts
While crash reconstruction teams are frequently used when the facts are unknown, they are also utilized when the facts are in dispute.
It is very common for each of the drivers involved to give very different versions of the same accident. Passenger and witness reports may also be in conflict. The report of the crash reconstruction professionals can help resolve the drivers’ inconsistent stories and reveal the truth of what happened. This evidence can be very persuasive to an insurance adjuster seeking to settle to a claim as well as to a jury deciding the battle in court.
If you or a loved one has been in a car accident, Bart Bernard works with the best reconstruction investigators to get to the truth behind the crash and gather convincing evidence for your case.
Speak with Louisiana Car Accident Lawyer Bart Bernard
Bart Bernard is one Louisiana’s leading car accident attorneys. Our legal team includes top investigators including crash reconstructionist who work together to build your best case. Our offices our conveniently located in Baton Rouge and Lafayette, Louisiana, consultations are always free, and there is a never a fee for our services unless we collect compensation on your behalf. Call today and Get it Done Right™ with Bart Bernard.
- Kinkle, Fredrick. “The wreckage speaks: A crash reconstruction team tells stories that victims can’t.” The Washington Post. February 27, 2018. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/tripping/wp/2018/02/27/the-wreckage-speaks-a-crash-reconstruction-team-tells-stories-that-victims-cant/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.c2b735fe78f4
- Weiss, Kurt D. “Auto accident reconstruction: The basics you must know.” Plaintiff. November 2007. https://www.plaintiffmagazine.com/recent-issues/item/auto-accident-reconstruction-the-basics-you-must-know.
