Accident Reconstruction May Be Pivotal in Your Personal Injury Lawsuit

 Posted on April 20, 2021 in Auto Accidents

In the blink of an eye, a serious car accident can absolutely devastate a person’s life. Car accident victims not only deal with agonizing injuries, but they are also often left with massive financial stress as well. If you were hurt in an accident, you may be facing steep medical bills and vehicle repair costs as well as the financial burden caused by being out of work. These and other damages may be recoverable through a personal injury lawsuit. Accident reconstruction is often a crucial element of bringing a successful case.

How Can Accident Reconstruction Benefit My Case?

Car accidents are rarely straightforward. The at-fault party or parties may deny responsibility for the crash or even blame the victim for the injuries caused in the collision. Pile-up and multiple-car collisions are often especially confusing. Accident reconstruction is a process of evaluating evidence and data and "reconstructing" the accident scene. An accident reconstructionist may generate reports, models, diagrams, or computer animations that your lawyer can use to explain the accident and demonstrate liability. Accident reconstructionists may also provide expert testimony during a personal injury lawsuit. Statements and evidence from a well-respected, experienced accident reconstructionist will carry significant weight in a complex case.

What Is Involved in Accident Reconstruction?

Accident reconstruction starts with gathering data and evidence. Physical evidence like the position of the vehicles and the location of vehicle debris, guardrail damage, or skid marks are important clues in accident reconstruction. Many modern vehicles are equipped with accident data recorders (ADR) or event data recorders (EDR) that capture information about the force of the impact, the vehicle’s speed, brake application, and other vehicle data. Camera footage and photographs are also crucial pieces of evidence. The accident reconstructionist pieces together these clues to understand how the accident occurred and develop a timeline of events.

Your Lawyer Can Gather Essential Evidence and Information

Unfortunately, gathering evidence needed for accident reconstruction is not always easy. For example, a trucking company may be hesitant to hand over logbooks or event data recorder information that will implicate one of the company’s drivers in a truck accident. This is where a skilled lawyer comes into play. Your attorney can help ensure that important evidence is not "lost" or "accidentally destroyed" before it can be used in your case. Your lawyer may use formal requests for production, depositions, subpoenas, and other discovery tools to gather the necessary facts and evidence.

Contact a Cook County Car Accident Lawyer

The skilled team of Illinois personal injury attorneys at Kaiser Law has over 100 years of collective legal experience. Contact us today to learn how we can help you build a strong personal injury case after a car or truck accident. Call 630-233-9946 for a free consultation.

Source:

https://www.nhtsa.gov/research-data/event-data-recorder