Getting the compensation for injuries in a car crash can get tricky at times, specifically when there aren’t eyewitnesses or other solid evidence to validate your claim. At the same time, the guilty party will have their side of the story to prove that the mishap had nothing to do with their negligence. You may expect the dispute to get dragged in the court, which can delay the claim or even lead to getting you an unfavorable verdict. It makes sense to go the extra mile with the proof in such complicated cases because you wouldn’t want to lose the compensation you deserve. Your attorney may actually recommend using the services of an accident reconstruction expert to make your case stronger.
Understanding the role of an accident reconstruction expert
An accident reconstruction expert, as the name implies, is a professional qualified to recreate an accident scene after they examine its entire aspects. Often, these are engineers, or law enforcement officials with special training. They investigate, analyze, and determine the cause of the crash and the events leading up to it. The various factors they take into consideration during their accident investigations include the crash spot, damage to the vehicles, the police report, and the medical records of the injured parties. They also go into detail by studying the debris and skid marks, interviewing witnesses, watching surveillance footage of the incident and examining photos taken after the crash. After evaluating these pieces of information, the expert often creates different scenarios leading to the accident and uses complex algorithms to re-enact the situation.
The need for an accident reconstruction expert
Generally, not all cases require an accident reconstruction expert to reach a consensus and satisfactory settlement. If the liability is clear in your case or it is fairly easy to establish the sequence of events, you don’t need to call one. Seasoned car crash lawyers recommend that you must hire an accident reconstruction expert in certain situations. For example, getting one on board makes sense if proving liability is complicated, there are no or few eyewitnesses or the pieces of vital evidence are missing. Similarly, you may want them to validate your claim if you are unable to recall how the crash happened. This is common when the victim goes through physical trauma or emotional impact of the mishap. They can also be helpful in cases where victims are seriously injured or dead.
Strengthen your case with an accident reconstruction expert
For cases that are complex, these professionals can make all the difference. They could answer many questions based on the issues in dispute and also provide valid conclusions on a range of subjects. From determining the sequence of events to evaluating the crash scene physics such as speed, positions, movement, visibility, steering angles, and more, they can provide information regarding every smallest detail of the mishap. Further, they can even determine facts such as whether the passengers were wearing seat belts, cruise control was engaged, vehicle lights were used and anti-lock brakes were being utilized. These points can be highly useful in deciding the liability.
Deciding whether you need to hire an expert to reconstruct the accident is a matter of debate. This is something you should let your lawyer decide whether they need them for your case.
