Accident reconstruction plays a vital role in a car accident claim process. The purpose of an accident reconstructionist is to analyze the events leading up to and following an accident, providing evidence that can be helpful in court to help determine who was at fault for the crash and ensure fair compensation of financial damages to all parties involved in the accident.
When you hire a car accident attorney or any other personal injury lawyer to represent you in your car accident claim, they will want to know what happened during the collision and how it happened. The information can help them build their case against the party responsible for your injuries with evidence on their side, not hearsay or speculation. Here are the crucial roles of accident reconstruction in the claims process.
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Provides Liability
The role of accident reconstruction in a car accident claim is to provide evidence that proves liability. Using an accident reconstructionist will allow you to prove who was at fault and show the sustained damages, which means your case can move quickly into litigation. Furthermore, proof that a party was negligent is critical for punitive damages awarded if a court finds that negligence was incredibly reckless or callous.
It’s important to note that punitive damages may not be available in every state. You should check with your attorney whether they’re applicable in your area. If they are, hiring an accident reconstruction expert could help you win more enormous sums of money than might otherwise be possible due to injuries caused by someone else’s carelessness on the road.
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Helps To Capture An Accurate Account of the Events
Most fatal car accidents involving other drivers often involve those under the influence. When a drunk driver hits your car, there is usually no one to tell you what happened and their role in causing it. That’s where accident reconstruction comes in. Experts in accident construction use math and science to help capture an accurate account of what occurred before, during, and after an accident. They combine physical evidence at a crash site with computer simulations.
The analysis allows for much more accurate estimates of how fast vehicles were traveling, what direction they were moving, and whether or not they braked before impact. The information can be helpful in court cases and police investigations when trying to determine fault and liability.
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Can Help Identify Environmental Conditions as Cause of The Accident
The role of accident reconstruction in a car accident claim can help identify environmental conditions as the cause of the accident. It is particularly true when it comes to winter weather and applicable to heavy rain or extreme heat/cold. For example, if there is snow on the road and you lose control of your vehicle due to icy roads, that may be considered an environmental condition that led to your accident. It would make you eligible for compensation from any party whose negligence caused your accident.
Such an outcome may also absolve you of liability for any damages resulting from your actions. You are not responsible for causing an accident caused by something outside of your control. However, if you were speeding during an accident (regardless of what caused it), that could work against you in court and reduce your chances of receiving fair compensation.
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It Can Provide a Timeline for Certain Events During the Accident
Since accident reconstruction specialists have a wealth of expertise in a wide range of areas related to automotive collisions, they can help provide a timeline for specific events during an accident. The information is vital when determining liability and assisting victims to recover compensation.
For example, one of their roles is to investigate how long it takes a vehicle to come to rest after the first impact in an accident. It helps determine whether or not someone was speeding at the time of the crash or if another factor caused them to lose control.
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Can Help Understand Why an Accident Occurred
Everyone’s heard stories about a person involved in an auto accident, only to find out later that they had slipped on ice hours before impact. The bottom line is that most car accidents are not a result of reckless behavior or malicious intent. Far more often, they occur due to one driver making a mistake and colliding with another vehicle. If you suffer injuries in an accident due to someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses and other losses.
But how do you prove your case? That’s where accident reconstruction comes into play. It can help answer questions like What exactly happened? Why did it happen? Who was at fault? And what evidence exists to support your claim? Having an expert look into an accident from all angles can help determine whether or not their claim was valid and avoid insurance denying compensation for your injuries.
Conclusion
Accident reconstruction can be a pivotal part of any car accident claim. It’s critical to handle accident reconstruction correctly by professionals with knowledge and experience dealing with insurance companies and attorneys. Insurers and prosecutors will often minimize their liability by discrediting accident reconstruction experts, so it’s essential to choose a credible expert who understands how to deliver evidence that stands up under scrutiny.
