Accident Reconstruction Lawyer

Most collisions aren’t caught on film, creating a potential he-said, she-said situation. This potential for conflict is particularly true in multiple-vehicle accidents or those involving severe injuries or fatalities because nobody wants to claim responsibility. Investigators may use photos taken at the accident scene, if available, in addition to other sources when gathering data.

Many factors can combine to cause accidents, and an accident reconstruction uses data and physics to recreate how a specific collision occurred. Extensively trained technicians using specialized equipment perform these reconstructions and then create computer simulations and crash maps to show each stage of a collision.

Black Box Data

Most vehicles today have an electronic control module that records driver actions, including steering, braking, headlight and seatbelt usage and speed. This data is similar to what aircraft black boxes record and include information vital to accident reconstructions. The information can show what maneuvers drivers took, if any, attempting to avoid a crash.

Environmental and Road Conditions

Although some form of human error causes most car accidents, there are often contributing factors. Inclement weather and poorly maintained roads often increase collision risks. Examples include:

• Animals darting into traffic
• Darkness or insufficient lighting
• Debris or other roadway obstacles
• Heavy fog or rain, falling snow, pooled water, and ice or snow accumulations on roadways
• Potholes, poor road design and malfunctioning traffic signals
• Restricted visibility

Drivers can avoid most of these dangerous situations by exercising proper caution, reducing speeds and paying attention to their surroundings. Unfortunately, many drivers are distracted or have an “it won’t happen to me” mentality, often causing otherwise avoidable accidents.

Measurements

Measuring a variety of data at accident sites can provide evidence showing how a crash occurred. These measurements include:

• Skid mark lengths, positions and angles
• Vehicle positions and angles
• Damaged areas of each vehicle
• The area of the entire accident scene

Advanced equipment can create 3D images of the accident scene and prove vital details such as:

• Vehicle speeds and directions at the time of impact
• Which collision occurred first, second, and so on (if multiple collisions occurred)
• If a pothole or other roadway obstacle caused a vehicle to swerve suddenly, precipitating a crash
• Whether oncoming traffic was clearly visible

Professionals may use drones or other devices to make extremely accurate measurements.

Occupant Kinematics

You may have seen TV commercials showing how crash dummies move during a collision. This is an example of occupant kinematics, and accident reconstructions use similar methods to predict how each person in a vehicle should have moved while the crash was happening. Crucial data for this study include:

• Crash progression speed changes
• Force direction and angle of impact
• Injuries sustained
• Occupant seating location and positioning
• Vehicle interior condition after the accident and safety features

Occupant kinematics can show whether the dynamics of a particular accident could have caused the injuries each person sustained.

Vehicle Damage

The type of damage a vehicle sustains, including its location and severity, provides valuable information that can prove:

• Impact forces
• Vehicle speeds and directions
• Injury-producing feasibility

These damages can also show whether drivers attempted to avoid the collision or took no evasive actions.

An accident reconstruction not only shows who caused the accident but can also prove that your degree of fault is minimal or non-existent.

Accident reconstruction data can show:

• Driver actions, including evasive maneuvers
• External factors that contributed to causing the collision
• Impact order
• The likelihood of your injuries resulting from the accident
• Vehicle speeds and dynamics

An accident reconstruction is scientifically obtained proof that can negate claims of innocence and prove your eligibility to obtain compensation for your damages. If your claim needs an accident reconstruction as supporting evidence, Big Auto will arrange for it.

Proving fault is one of the most vital tasks your lawyer performs because that determination impacts who is responsible for paying compensation and how much you qualify to receive. State laws governing car accidents vary, but every state uses fault-based rules to determine if accident victims are eligible to seek damages and how much they may receive. Ask your Big Auto car accident attorney which laws apply to your claim.

Generally speaking, many accidents have more than one at-fault party. An investigation determines each party’s percentage of fault. In a few states, you can seek damages even if you are 99% responsible, while others prevent those who are 51% or more at fault from obtaining compensation.

These laws also determine how much compensation you can receive if you qualify to seek it. Total damages minus your percentage of fault equals how much you might obtain. For instance, suppose that you are 25% at fault for causing your accident. You can only receive 75% of the total damages in that case.

Although state laws and specific circumstances determine your eligibility, there are three basic categories of damages in car accident cases. Your Big Auto accident attorney will tell you what your case is worth during your free consultation.

If your loved one lost their life in a car crash, you may be able to file a wrongful death claim. Ask Big Auto if you qualify per your state’s laws.

Economic Damages

Car accidents can cause injuries and fatalities, each with accompanying expenses. The amount of your accident-related expenses varies, but economic damages reimburse you for these costs, which include:

• Medical bills: emergency treatments, hospital stays, surgeries, medications, rehabilitation and necessary medical equipment
• Lost wages: time missed from work during recovery or attending to accident-related obligations
• Replacement services: costs associated with hiring caregivers
• Property damage: repairing or replacing vehicles, clothing, personal possessions and other items damaged in the crash

Some injured victims qualify to seek reimbursement for current and future lost wages and medical expenses. This category of damages reimburses for actual expenses, so it’s crucial that you save invoices and receipts to ensure that you obtain the correct amounts of compensation.

Non-Economic Damages

Physical injuries are often the most predominant, but other wounds can produce lifelong adverse effects. Non-economic damages compensate you for things such as:

• Pain and suffering
• Permanent disfigurement or disability
• Depression, anxiety and PTSD
• Damage to personal relationships
• Losing the ability to enjoy life

These conditions may have mild to severe impacts; compensation amounts typically reflect the degree. Liable insurance companies are particularly reluctant to pay this category of damages because it’s sometimes challenging to prove these conditions exist. Don’t worry; Big Auto has plenty of experience, and we know how to handle these claims successfully.

Punitive or Exemplary Damages

In rare cases, defendants willfully cause accidents or act in similarly reprehensible ways. States may award exemplary or punitive damages to injured victims in these claims.

You don’t have to hire a lawyer to handle your car accident claim, but doing so provides multiple benefits. Big Auto attorneys are competent and focus on personal injury claims, so we are intimately familiar with applicable laws, procedures and insurance company tactics. When you hire us:

• We handle all contact with insurance company representatives.
• We submit case-related paperwork on your behalf.
• We use our resources and state-specific knowledge to investigate your accident and gather evidence to support your claim.
• We negotiate aggressively to obtain maximum compensation for you, or we’ll take your case to trial if needed.
• We provide information, advice, and updates as your case progresses.

One of the best reasons to hire an attorney is that people who have a lawyer routinely obtain significantly larger compensation amounts than those who don’t. Best of all, you won’t pay Big Auto until we win compensation for you. Take zero risks and utilize our vast resources and legal knowledge, with the potential of winning substantially more money.