What is Truck Accident Reconstruction?
Not all vehicle accidents are created equal. Truck accidents, for instance, are known for being particularly destructive, leaving the occupants of the smaller vehicle at risk of devastating property damage and catastrophic injuries. These victims may have the right to file a personal injury claim against the trucking company that was responsible for the accident if they can prove that they weren’t at fault for the crash. This kind of recovery, however, will require a thorough investigation into the accident, as well as a reconstruction of the crash itself.
What Information Do Accident Reconstruction Specialists Need?
Accident reconstructions are conducted by reconstruction specialists who gather important information about a crash and then use that information to reconstruct how the accident occurred via simulations and models. These results in turn, often reveal who was at fault for the crash. Before a truck accident can be reconstructed, a team of experts will need to use various methodologies, including:
- Inspecting the vehicles involved in the crash in person;
- Taking measurements of pre-impact and post-impact gouges and tire marks at the scene of the accident;
- Evaluating accent scene photos and footage of the crash;
- Reviewing accident reports and witness statements; and
- Assessing the victim’s medical records.
Once all of this evidence has been collected, a reconstruction expert can input the details into special software that uses physics, vehicle dynamics, photogrammetry, and computer applications to help create a simulation of the crash.
How Accident Reconstruction Models Can Help Your Claim
An accident reconstruction simulation, model, or diagram can reveal a variety of important aspects about an accident, including:
- What initiated the crash;
- How fast the vehicles were traveling prior to and during the accident;
- The angle of impact of the vehicles at the time of the accident;
- Whether human error contributed to or caused the crash;
- Whether a mechanical problem caused the accident; and
- The drivers’ behaviors prior to and during the accident.
These results can then be used to help establish who caused a crash. In a truck accident case, this could mean that a truck’s driver, the trucking company, a vehicle manufacturer, a mechanic, or a third party could be held liable for the accident. Besides the models and diagrams, accident reconstruction experts will also create a written report, and may end up needing to testify in person at trial to help establish liability.
Could an Accident Reconstruction Strengthen Your Truck Accident Claim?
Truck accident reconstruction can play a critical role in helping accident victims prove who caused their crash. At Levinson Law, P.C., we have the resources and experience to help build a team that will give your claim the best possible chance of success. To learn more about the specialists whose expertise we could utilize to help prove your own case, please call our dedicated and skilled Tulsa trucking accident lawyers at 918-492-4433 today. You can also set up a consultation with a member of our legal team by reaching out to our office via online message.
Sources:
wellesleyma.gov/860/Accident-Reconstruction
sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379073816301256
