Getting Help from an Accident Reconstruction Expert
Sometimes, it’s hard to tell who caused a crash just by looking at the accident scene or reading the police report. That’s where accident reconstruction experts come in. Car accident lawyers sometimes work with these professionals who have specialized training to analyze crash evidence and determine exactly how a collision happened. Their work can help injured parties prove what caused the accident and establish liability.
What Is Accident Reconstruction?
Accident reconstruction involves explaining how a crash happened by using science, crash data, vehicle dynamics, and physical evidence. If you’re in a serious car crash in New York, your lawyer might work with a qualified accident reconstruction expert for help determining liability and identifying contributing factors. These experts in accident reconstruction services examine damage to the vehicles involved, physical marks at the scene, and other clues to recreate the events leading up to an impact.
Accident reconstructionists rely on engineering, physics, and math to draw conclusions from the available evidence. They study things like skid marks, crush damage, and vehicle rest positions. They might also use animations or computer simulations to model vehicle speed, track each vehicle’s position on the road, and determine whether drivers hit the brakes before the crash. Their findings can explain the circumstances surrounding the auto accident if the facts aren’t clear or if parties give conflicting accounts of the accident.
What Information Is Used to Reconstruct a Car Accident?
The reconstruction of an accident requires clear evidence. After a New York car crash, accident reconstruction experts can gather facts from the scene, the vehicles, and any available recordings. They often start with photos of the scene, which might come from police, bystanders, or traffic cameras. These images help experts understand vehicle positions, road markings, and crash impact points.
Crash reconstructionists might also study factors like tire marks, crushed metal, broken glass, and debris. These small details can indicate how fast each car was going, whether either driver swerved or braked, and the direction in which each vehicle was traveling. Some cars have event data recorders (like black boxes) that track speed, braking, and steering in the seconds before a crash. If those are available, experts can use the black box data to confirm or challenge what drivers and witnesses say.
Police reports and witness statements can also play a part in the traffic accident reconstruction. While people don’t always remember every detail, their observations can still add context. Automotive engineers and accident reconstruction experts might also consider factors like road conditions, weather, and traffic signals. For example, ice or heavy rain might contribute to loss of control in some traffic accidents.
Once accident reconstruction specialists collect all of this information, they use it to create detailed images of how the accident occurred. Their work can help accident lawyers understand exactly how the accident happened and who is responsible for the collision.
When Is Accident Reconstruction Part of a Car Accident Case?
Lawyers often bring in crash reconstruction experts when New York car accidents result in severe injuries, major vehicle damage, or legal disputes. Accident reconstruction can be especially useful if people give different versions of what happened. If crash reports aren’t clear or leave out key details, a personal injury attorney might turn to experts to fill in the gaps and support their client’s case.
Accident reconstruction is especially useful in court cases or when insurance companies deny fault. An expert’s conclusions can support a legal claim and convince juries, judges, and adjusters. Without this expert analysis, lawyers might not have enough proof to back up their client’s version of events. The reconstruction process can offer clarity in situations where causal factors aren’t obvious at first glance.
Reconstruction can also be useful if multiple vehicles are involved in a crash. For example, in chain-reaction crashes, it’s not always clear which driver caused the initial impact. An expert can sort through the evidence to explain how the crash started and how it unfolded step by step.
New York handles most car accident claims on a no-fault basis, but fault could affect how much compensation you can get if you suffer a serious injury. If your injury meets the legal definition of a “serious injury,” a reconstruction expert can help you show that the other driver was at fault. This could allow you to recover more money through a lawsuit or third-party insurance claim.
An expert’s analysis can also help you during negotiations. Even if your case doesn’t go to court, an insurance company might offer a better settlement if the facts clearly show fault. Lawyers usually decide whether to hire a reconstruction expert based on the severity of the injuries, the size of the claim, and how much the facts are in dispute.
Who Pays for Accident Reconstructionist Services?
Hiring an accident reconstruction expert witness can cost thousands of dollars, but most personal injury victims don’t pay for this cost upfront. In many cases, a lawyer will handle these costs as part of the legal process. If the lawyer works on a contingency fee basis, they will often pay for the expert and recover that cost only if the case results in a settlement or verdict. Many car accident attorneys, including those at The Tadchiev Law Firm, P.C., handle personal injury cases on contingency.
This setup allows injured parties to build strong cases without worrying about out-of-pocket costs. The lawyer usually takes on the risk of hiring the expert, including fees for their time, travel, research, and possible testimony in court. If the case succeeds, these fees typically come out of the client’s settlement.
In some situations, an insurance company might also hire its own expert to offer a different opinion. This means both sides could present conflicting views of what happened from different experts, and the court must weigh each expert’s findings in its decision.
If your case requires expert testimony, a lawyer can explain your options and who will handle the cost. Before agreeing to hire an expert, you should discuss the issue with your car accident attorney to understand how the payment will work and how it might affect your final payout.
Get Legal Help from Our Queens Car Accident Lawyers
If you got hurt in a New York car accident and need help proving what happened, contact The Tadchiev Law Firm, P.C. We have extensive experience working with accident reconstruction experts when the case calls for it, and we know how to use their findings to support your claim. Get in touch with us today to arrange your free consultation and learn more about how we can help you recover.
About the Author
Boris Tadchiev
Boris Tadchiev es socio fundador de The Tadchiev Law Firm, P.C. Su práctica se centra en la defensa de los derechos de personas y familias en casos de lesiones personales relacionados con accidentes automovilísticos, responsabilidad civil por daños a propiedades y homicidio culposo. También representa a profesionales de la salud en complejas demandas de arbitraje sin culpa.