California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
How Can Accident Reconstruction Experts Help Your Claim?
Accidents happen all the time. When filing a personal injury claim, one of the first questions that arises is “Who is at fault?”, and often the answer isn’t readily apparent. When a claim is litigated in court, even accidents that seem straightforward can present complicated negligence issues.
Additionally, accident victim dealing with their injuries may face opposition by opposing parties that want to deny their claim or argue that the victim contributed to the accident and their resulting injuries.
To get full compensation for your damages, you’ll have to prove your case against the defendant. Though your testimony is valuable, time can cause recollections to fade and your account can be questioned by the defendant’s attorney. Hard evidence, such as photographs and eyewitness testimony, are usually necessary to prevail. In cases where liability is disputed, a skilled Los Angeles personal injury attorney at Walch Law can retain an accident reconstruction expert to help sort through any confusion in your claim and explain what really happened.
What Is an Accident Reconstruction Expert?
An accident reconstruction expert is a professional that takes the guesswork out of what really happened in an accident and makes liability clear. These experts are especially helpful in scenarios where there were no eyewitnesses and competing stories and ultimately are employer to make your case the strongest possible. California is a comparative negligence state which means that even if you are partially at fault for your accident, you can still get paid. When you have played a role in an accident, an accident reconstruction expert can be helpful in limiting your liability by helping to prove the other party’s larger role.
Recreating an Accident
Similar to the way detectives investigate evidence of a crime, accident reconstruction experts do the same to piece together what really happened in an accident. Some things they rely on include:
- Visit the scene of the accident,
- Witnesses interviews,
- Police report,
- Surveillance footage,
- Medical records,
- Vehicle inspections,
- Review photographs, debris, skid marks, and other evidence, and
- Black box data.
How Can They Help?
Having the help of a skilled expert can answer many questions and settle many contentious issues regarding your case. Based on their evaluation, analysis, and calculations, they may be able to draw conclusions about the accident and moments leading up to it including:
- Vehicle speeds, positions, and movements,
- Magnitude of the crash impact,
- The sequence of events,
- How the damage occurred,
- Determine if seat belts were worn by vehicle occupants,
- Determine if visibility problems existed,
- If in dispute, determine the drivers of the vehicles,
- Determine if a vehicle accelerated before a crash or if brakes were applied, and
- Determine if any check engine or warning lights were on before the accident.
Why Are They Important in Personal Injury Cases?
Accident reconstruction experts are particularly important in California personal injury cases. Their findings an affect how much compensation you may be able to recover for the damage you sustained.
California adopted the rule of pure comparative negligence in personal injury cases, which means each party involved is only liable for damages in proportion to the fault they had in the accident at issue. That means if a court examines the facts and determines an injured plaintiff was 40 percent at fault for the accident, if they had $100,000 in proven damages their actual award would be reduced by 40 percent, leaving them with a $60,000 award.
This means a lot of money is potentially on the line depending on how much fault a judge or jury determines you bore. A skilled Los Angeles personal injury attorney can retain a seasoned expert to present the best case possible for you on the issue of responsibility.
Speak to a Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer
Sorting through the confusion when an accident occurs and fighting for the compensation you deserve for your injuries is much easier with skilled representation and a team of experts at your side. If you or a loved one were injured in an accident in Southern California, contact the skilled Los Angeles personal injury attorneys at Walch Law today. Our team of attorneys has spent years delivering personalized, comprehensive representation for victims just like you and secured millions in recovery for their injuries. We know how to deal with insurance companies and build teams of experts to handle even the most complex cases, and we’re looking forward to fighting for you. Call us 24/7 or complete our online contact form to schedule your free, no obligation consultation. The initial review is free and confidential, and you pay nothing until we win your case. Let us help make the best possible outcome for your case a reality.