An at-fault party in a serious car accident is not always as easily determined as one might think. Sometimes an investigation by a crash reconstruction specialist is required to solidify the facts. In particular, where death or serious injuries occur, a crash reconstruction can provide vital evidence that may be used in court.
There are several ways in which a reconstruction specialist will analyze crash data. He or she may look at the starting and stopping point of skid marks, including measuring the length a vehicle skidded in total. The direction of the skid marks will also be noted. In addition, damage to all vehicles involved as well as debris left at a crash site will be closely inspected. Some vehicles even have data collection boxes that may be recovered. These provide invaluable evidence such as speed at the time of crash, whether or not a driver ever hit the brakes, and even if the vehicle occupants were wearing seatbelts.
In today’s high tech courtrooms, evidence collected from a crash reconstruction can be input into simulation software that allows a Judge and jury to see the entire crash in action. While witness testimonies are also important to a case, they are often contradictory. Simply witnessing a tragic accident where death is involved can be traumatizing. Therefore, witnesses are sometimes unable to clearly recall exactly what happened and may change their story several times. This makes it even harder for a jury to make a decision.
Consult with an experienced attorney if you or someone you love have been injured in a car accident to insure all potential evidence is secured and thoroughly processed. It could make a large difference in a courtroom where compensation is at hand.
