A car accident reconstruction is usually performed by an expert with experience in motor vehicle accident or collision reconstruction. These experts are often engineers who have advanced training in car crash investigation such as from the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety offers the most comprehensive program with courses beginning at basic crash investigation and culminating in various advanced crash reconstruction courses. Most are involve passenger vehicles or commercial trucks, but accidents involving ATVs, farm, or even industrial equipment, can be explained.
An accident reconstructionist is typically an engineer who has the education and experience to investigate, collect, and analyze evidence, then apply the laws of physics, and the engineering principles to render an expert opinion as to how a collision or incident occurred and the car accident cause.
In MVA personal injury cases where the stakes are high, it is common for plaintiff or defense attorneys to hire an accident reconstructionist to render a forensic conclusion to the cause and events during an accident. The attorneys then use those expert opinions to argue negligence or fault, that one or more driver broke a rule of the road and caused the crash. Rarely, an insurance companies or employers may use an accident reconstructionist to recreate on- the-job accidents related to workers compensation claims.
A MVA investigation includes inspecting the accident scene, taking photographs and measurements. Physical evidence and debris from the accident scene is documented, collected and photographed. The vehicle or vehicles are examined and photographed. If available, the information from the event data recorder or black box is downloaded and analyzed. The investigation will also include reviewing police reports, witness statements, and other discovery materials.
Using the collected evidence, the accident reconstructionist uses scientific mathematical analysis to recreate an accurate portrayal of the events during an accident. The accident reconstructions may use software, such as computer aided design (CAD), models, or forensic animation, and in some cases recreating an accident, although that may be prohibitively expensive in most cases.
After the investigation and reconstruction, the accident reconstructionist prepares expert opinions usually in writing, detailing the how and why of the incident. All facts supporting the opinions are layed out, such as time and day, the weather and roadway conditions, and the make and model of the vehicle or vehicles. The accident reconstructionist may include diagrams and exhibits, or in rare, expensive reconstructions an animation, that may be used to demonstrate the expert’s opinions in easy-to-understand terms. The accident reconstructionist will testify to his expert opinions during a deposition, and if necessary at trial.
McCormick Law Office attorneys in Milwaukee, Wisconsin use accident reconstruction experts on a regular basis to get to the truth behind collisions.
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