Accident Reconstruction - Proving Your Case

Proving who is at fault in an accident can often be difficult without witnesses. And even with witnesses present, the sequence of events remembered can vary and be contradictive. When establishing responsibility for an accident is imperative, an accident reconstruction may be needed.

If you find a good reconstructionist, the accident investigator will arrive at the scene within hours, some in less than an hour, to collect rapidly deteriorating evidence. The investigator will likely survey the scene, determine vehicle paths in cases of auto accidents, take photographs, collect forensic evidence, interview witnesses, and note any additional details that could be helpful in reconstructing the accident.

Vehicles or equipment involved in the accident will be thoroughly examined and forensic evidence analyzed. Testing is conducted as necessary to prove or refute a theory of what caused the accident, and final analysis of all evidence collected results in expert findings. Multimedia presentations, including 3-D animated sequencing of events, can be created to support those findings, and a report will be provided to parties involved.

The reports and presentations can be very helpful if the accident results in a case that goes to court. If a lawsuit does follow, expert witness testimony litigation can be provided by the accident reconstruction company to support and explain the expert findings and answer any questions in court.

With such experts supporting your case (and hopefully the findings do support it), you stand a much greater chance of winning if litigation does ensue. Of course, the opposing party may also have their own experts with findings that attempt to repute those of your experts. In such cases, a judge or jury will decide who presented the most compelling evidence, which is why you want to be sure to hire an experience company to perform your accident reconstruction.

Before hiring a reconstructionist, inquire about their expertise and experience as well as their reconstruction and analysis facilities and capabilities. Find out what type of reports and supporting evidence they are able to provide, and how quickly they can begin working. If it will be another day or two before their investigation can begin or they're not experts in reconstructing the type of accident you suffered, find someone else.

Accident reconstruction is used to find the cause of a variety of very different types of accidents. The most common, of course, is auto-related. But accidents, including injury accidents that result in lengthy litigation, can also involve the following and more:

• construction or other work-related incidents
• airplane crashes
• amusement park rides
• product liability

• boating catastrophes

• 18-wheeler trucks

• ATV rollovers

• railroad crossing accidents or train derailments

• mass transit mishaps

The list of possibilities for types of accidents that may require reconstruction to prove who is at fault and how an accident occurred seems endless. If you're unsure, you may want to discuss the matter with an attorney before proceeding. But do so quickly, as evidence can be lost with each moment that passes.