SERVICES

Reconstruction

More and more cases today, whether in civil or criminal court, are related to motor vehicle crashes and usually involve serious injury or death.  Often, there may be a question as to who was at fault in the crash.  Accident reconstruction has been around for a number of years, but we are beginning to see it more in litigation as a means to prove or disprove guilt or liability. 

Quite often, many cases are settled prior to going to trial because with the reconstructionist’s ability to determine certain factors, the clients choose an out-of-court settlement in lieu of sometimes lengthy and always costly court battles.

Accident Investigation

ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS, INC. is available nationwide, to assist clients in the field of accident investigation and reconstruction. Our services include professional accident investigation and reconstruction, speed determination, point of impact, photography and videography, scale diagrams, mechanical inspections including hydraulic and air brake systems, lamp examinations for “on or off”, seatbelt examinations and air bag deployment, crash data retrieval from on-board EDR (event data recorder) systems, commercial vehicle accident investigations and safety compliance, brake testing for commercial vehicle and bus compliance within mandated stopping distances, and motorcycle and pedestrian crash analysis.

Expert Testimony

It is generally within the abilities of the investigating officer to testify to certain facts as he or she found them at the time of the investigation.  Opinions however, are a different thing altogether, and reserved only for the expert.  When one has the proper credentials and is able to qualify as an expert in accident reconstruction, he may be able to testify in court to points that may otherwise have to be left out of testimony.

Review Opposing Experts Reports

FRAUD can cost the insurance industry millionsof dollars annually. Fraudulent claims of accidents caused by “Phantom” Hit and Run drivers, injuries that were caused by accidents that when looked into, could not have possibly occurred the way the claimant says they did, or accidents where the claimant has an expensive vehicle cheaply repaired by a co-conspirator body shop, then re-insures the vehicle as new with a different insurance company, only to stage another fake accident to collect a settlement, are but a few examples of how unsuspecting adjusters are tricked into paying out millions in fraudulent claims each year. ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS, INC. conducts investigations into these claims to assist the insurance company in denying these claims and possibly bringing criminal charges against the responsible parties.

Often, the opposing side has already retained their own reconstructionist or investigator. WHAT GUARANTEE DO YOU HAVE THAT THE OTHER SIDE’S REPORT IS ACCURATE OR FAIR? ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS, INC. offers full service analysis of the opposing experts’ findings. Even if you do not need an expert for court,  such analysis  can be very helpful in the preparation for trial.

Training Seminars for Attorneys, Claims Adjusters
and Safety/Civic Groups

ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS, INC. will also provide training seminars for any organization, including law firms and claims associations or adjusters for individual insurance companies, where there is a need to learn more about what an accident investigator or reconstructionist can do, or how we may be of assistance in case review and trial preparation.

Commercial Vehicle Safety Compliance Issues

DOT and FMVSS regulate the safe operation and overall mechanical condition of large commercial vehicles. This includes driver training so the operators are aware of what these regulations are, and in what condition both they and their vehicles must be to operate on the highway safely. Accident Investigations, Inc. can provide the commercial vehicle industry with related services in these areas.

Speed Determination

Determining the speed of vehicles involved, can be the pivotal point in a crash analysis. Questions arise about one driver or the other exceeding the speed limit, or the safest speed for conditions, or through time-distance analysis, whether or not either could have reacted in time to avoid the crash. This is particularly helpful when investigating pedestrian accidents, where perception and reaction time are important as a pedestrian enters the path of a vehicle and is struck. Could a slower speed have prevented the accident? These questions can only be answered by the reconstructionist who is properly trained and qualified to collect the necessary data, analyze it, and draw a conclusion as to the speed, based on the properly applied laws of physics and mathematical formulae commonly used throughout the profession. Speed can be determined in many cases, from evidence left on the road including skid marks, yaw marks, vehicles which have rolled or vaulted, and conservation of linear momentum. Accident Investigations, Inc. is ready to assist you in this area, if needed in your case.

It is important to note, that speed determination, as is true in other areas of accident analysis, has its greatest chance of accuracy if the data needed is collected as soon as possible following the accident. Traffic conditions, time, and weather all affect the longevity of the evidence, so it is necessary to collect the data as quickly as possible following the accident.

Point of Impact – Direction of Travel

Evidence on the road such as scratches, gouges, and marks left by tires either rolling or not rolling, can be useful in determining the point of impact.  They often times must be matched with the particular vehicle parts which produced them in order to determine the point of impact, exact position of the vehicle and its direction of travel before and after impact.  This will also show the angles of approach and departure.

Mechanical and Lamp Examinations

There are several areas of vehicle parts the reconstructionist can examine which could assist in the investigation.  Tire exams can be done to determine if the damage to a tire was the result of or the cause of the accident.  It can also determine if there is a mix matching of tire types which would affect the handling and stability.  Often there is a failure of some internal component over a period of time.  The tire will appear to handle properly under normal operations and in an emergency maneuver cause a sudden, seemingly unexplainable loss of control.  This can be detected through careful examination.  Mechanical components such as carburetor linkage, brake systems including linings, pads, fluid levels, and hydraulic and air brake lines, steering and suspension system and others may be checked for defects.  Lamp exams can be performed to determine if certain lights such as brake, signals and headlights were on or off at impact, or whether the electrical system was even capable of energizing them.

EDR Downloads

More vehicles today are being equipped with an EDR or electronic data recorder. This is often compared to the “black box” in the cockpit of aircraft, and is used to record a variety of data from the vehicle sensors pertaining to crash events, engine rpms, seat belt and air bag use, and in some cases vehicle speed just before and at impact. This requires special tools and computerized electronic data retrieval systems, as well as a certified technician to operate the system and download this data. Accident Investigations, Inc. can provide the certified technician and proper equipment to obtain this data.

Testing and Video Taping

Various tests can be conducted for our clients, and often is done as a matter of routine during a reconstruction. These might include skid testing for coefficient of friction values on road surfaces, braking and stopping distances, time-distance testing, or acceleration tests. Video taping is done of the testing to provide the client with a permanent record. Video taping can also be done of traffic flow and movement, traffic light sequence and operation, and pedestrian behavior. Additional testing can be done to determine the effects of G-forces in curves, reaction times, or commercial vehicle braking efficiency and air pressure using the VERICOM  VC-3000 accelerometer, and crash data can be downloaded from a vehicle’s EDR (event data recorder) using the VETRONIX CDR tool.

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Mapping and Diagramming

Accident Investigations, Inc. utilizes state-of-the-art technology in the reconstruction and investigation of accidents. The scene is measured or mapped using the NIKON NPL-332 Pulse Laser Total Station. This data is then downloaded onto a computer and using the CRASH ZONE accident scene software, a 2-D or 3-D scale diagram is created.

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