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Home Car Accidents The Importance of Accident Reconstruction

accident reconstructionMotor vehicle accidents happen in an instant, leaving victims with potentially life-changing injuries to question what happened. After a car crash, one of the most vital steps toward securing the compensation victims need for their injuries is determining how it occurred. This is where accident reconstruction comes in.

Car wrecks can be complex, involving multiple vehicles, road conditions, pedestrians, and various liable parties. Accident reconstruction is one method personal injury lawyers use to untangle what happened based on the aftermath they’re left with. Using science, technology, and expert analysis, lawyers can understand how the collision occurred and the parties at fault.

If you were hurt in a Raleigh car accident, contact Younce, Vtipil, Baznik & Banks, P.A. for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer. We’ll review your case, explain your legal options, and help you understand how our team uses accident reconstruction to maximize your compensation.

What Is Accident Reconstruction?

Accident reconstruction is an applied science that uses physics, engineering, and math to analyze and interpret the evidence collected from the scene of a car crash. It involves gathering physical evidence, witness statements, and data from the vehicles to create a comprehensive understanding of how the collision occurred.

For example, a crash reconstruction specialist could use photographs of the skid marks on the road and the damage done to the vehicles in a rear-end collision to determine how fast the trailing car was traveling. Lawyers could then use this information when arguing that the trailing driver should be liable for the leading driver’s injuries due to their excessive speeding.

However, accident reconstruction is not only used by personal injury lawyers. Insurance companies and police departments also use accident reconstruction to objectively assess collisions and the events leading up to and following them.

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What Does an Accident Reconstructionist Do?

An accident reconstructionist, or accident reconstruction specialist, is a trained professional specializing in investigating motor vehicle collisions. Their primary roles include collecting physical evidence, reviewing evidence from other parties, and using that evidence to determine the factors that contributed to the accident. These factors may include the speed of the vehicles, the angle of impact, the road conditions, and the drivers’ behavior.

Some of the work accident reconstructionists perform when investigating a collision includes:

  • Examining physical evidence, such as skid marks on the road surface, vehicle damage, and debris patterns, to determine the angle and force of the collision
  • Reviewing footage from security, traffic, and vehicle dashboard cameras to look for clues indicating how the crash occurred
  • Analyzing police reports and witness statements to get a more complete picture of the events surrounding the crash
  • Using crash simulation software to recreate the accident in 3D
  • Identifying mechanical failures or vehicle part defects that may have contributed to the collision

Accident reconstructionists piece all these types of evidence together to build a representation of how the crash likely occurred. They then present their reconstruction and testify about their findings before the court in car accident injury cases.

What Expertise Do Accident Reconstructionists Have?

An accident reconstructionist can have expertise in various fields, including engineering, physics, forensic science, and even biomechanics. For example, they may not only show how the crash occurred but also create a 3D-rendered video showing how it caused your specific injuries.

These experts often originally come from other fields, such as law enforcement, mechanical engineering, or traffic safety analysis. And they frequently work with other professionals to make up for gaps in their expertise. For example, an accident reconstructionist specializing in the physics involved in car wrecks may team up with one specializing in forensic science or biomechanics.

Some of the ways these specialists can use their expertise in a car accident case include:

  • Calculating vehicle speeds and stopping distances
  • Assessing the impact of road conditions and other environmental factors
  • Understanding driver reaction times and how people tend to respond to hazards
  • Evaluating vehicle maintenance and the effectiveness of safety features
  • Interpreting onboard computer data from newer vehicles

Having a crash reconstruction expert working with your legal team is an effective way to make sure all aspects of the collision are thoroughly examined. This can strengthen your case and be a vital part of pushing back against the insurance company’s claims that you were partially to blame for the crash. Insurance companies are always looking for a way to reduce their liability – and in North Carolina, you cannot recover compensation if you are even partially at fault for an accident.

What Technology Do Accident Reconstruction Specialists Use?

As technology advances, the accuracy of accident reconstructions improves. Crash reconstruction specialists heavily rely on technology to assist with their jobs and use various tools and software to determine how accidents occur. Some of the most common pieces of technology used in this field are:

  • 3D laser scanners – Portable laser scanners, such as the FARO Focus 3D, can create detailed models of crash scenes that reconstruction experts can analyze. These models, combined with photographs, can allow reconstructionists to identify key details that may have been missed during the initial accident scene walkthrough.
  • Onboard vehicle computers – Also known as black boxes or event data recorders (EDRs), modern vehicles commonly have onboard computers that record crucial data such as speed, brake pressure, steering inputs, and even driver attentiveness before a crash.
  • Drones – In some cases, reconstructionists may use aerial drones to take overhead pictures and videos of the crash site. These photos and videos can help experts map out the final resting places of the vehicles and where the point of impact likely was.
  • Computer simulation programs – Crash reconstruction specialists often use software programs like Virtual CRASH, PC-Crash, and HVE to digitally reconstruct accidents. These tools have sophisticated physics engines that allow experts to test how various factors may have contributed to the collision.
  • Crash test data – Experts can also compare the data from the accident that caused your injuries to data from controlled crash tests. By comparing data, the specialists can validate their findings and strengthen the conclusions they draw from them.

How Can an Accident Reconstructionist Help Your Personal Injury Claim?

North Carolina is a fault-based auto insurance state. This means that you must show the other driver caused the accident and your injuries to seek compensation through an auto insurance claim. Even outside of insurance claims, you must also prove fault in personal injury lawsuits against the other driver. This alone makes accident reconstruction an essential tool for victims seeking compensation.

Some of the other ways accident reconstructionists can help with your personal injury claim after a car accident include:

  • Establishing liability – A crash reconstructionist can help lawyers identify liable parties and provide evidence that demonstrates their degree of fault. Not all car accident cases are as straightforward as someone rear-ending you. Sometimes, multiple parties could share liability, including other motorists, vehicle manufacturers, and government entities.
  • Countering contributory negligence – The rule of contributory negligence bars victims from recovering compensation for injuries they contributed to in North Carolina. With the help of a crash reconstructionist, your attorney can work to show that you played no role in the accident that harmed you, protecting your right to seek compensation.
  • Supporting witness statements – In cases where there isn’t any traffic camera footage, an accident reconstruction may be the only thing corroborating the statements made by witnesses about how the crash occurred. And even if there aren’t eyewitnesses, a reconstruction can still show what likely happened.
  • Demonstrating crash severity – A reconstructionist can help show the forces involved in the accident and how they affect the human body. This information can be critical for explaining the severity and extent of your injuries in conjunction with your medical records.
Younce Vtipil Baznik & Banks personal injury law team

Get in Touch with Our Raleigh Car Accident Lawyers for Help

If you have been injured in a car accident in or around Raleigh, North Carolina, our experienced car accident attorneys are here to help. At Younce, Vtipil, Baznik & Banks, P.A., we understand that car accident claims can be complex, involving multiple liable parties and potentially limited evidence. That’s why we use a state-of-the-art case tracking system and work with skilled accident reconstruction experts and other industry professionals to help our clients seek the compensation they deserve. See what our past clients have to say about working with our team:

“Not only are they top-notch in their profession, they’re also down-to-earth and compassionate. I am very happy with the outcome that they were able to provide me with. I highly recommend this group for your legal representation. You will be glad you did.” – Carolyn Jones

Younce, Vtipil, Baznik & Banks, P.A. provides hands-on treatment, care, and personal attention and has staff members who are fluent in English and Spanish ready to assist. With a 24-year history of success, we’ll do everything we can to care for you. Contact our law office today at 919-661-9000 or fill out our contact form for a free consultation with a knowledgeable member of our legal team.

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