How Does Accident Reconstruction Work?

Accident reconstruction uses science to shed light on the circumstances of motor vehicle collisions. The Illinois Department of Transportation reported 312,988 crashes occurred across the state in 2019. Even in the most seemingly straightforward of these, the fault is not always readily apparent and the statements of those involved are not always accurate.

Recreating Auto Collisions

A type of causation forensics, accident reconstruction employs scientific methods to recreate the events of motor vehicle crashes. Things such as adrenaline-caused memory lapses and cognitive biases may skew testimony given by those involved, as well as by eyewitnesses following a wreck. Accident reconstruction uses tenants from physics, mathematics, and engineering to create an objective record of what transpired. Working in reverse, reconstruction experts study and document the available evidence from after, during, and before a collision.

Explaining How and Why Crashes Happened

Using science to remove the uncertainties of what occurred in an auto wreck, accident reconstruction often proves a valuable evidence source in injury and property damage claims. Experts in this field apply scientific principles to measure aspects of the crash, like the speed of the vehicles, involved. They also use them to draw conclusions about causal factors of the collision, including driver visibility, velocity, and crash angles. To the insurance companies or at trial, accident reconstruction experts provide detailed reports or three-dimensional models of how crashes unfolded.

Assigning Fault for Accidents

When accounts differ or are somehow distorted, accident reconstruction offers detailed insight into what likely occurred and who bears responsibility for crashes. Having such a report or, if necessary, testimony from an expert may aid people in recovering damages for their collision-caused injuries. Under Illinois’ comparative negligence law, drivers’ percentage of fault in wrecks will reduce the compensation they may potentially recover. As such, plaintiffs and defendants alike may benefit from accident reconstruction to show they did not contribute to causing an accident or that the other driver also played a role in the causation.

Injuries suffered in auto collisions often have profound effects on people’s day-to-day lives, as well as on their finances. Employing the services of an accident reconstructionist and taking advantage of the options available for pursuing damages may allow people to recover the compensation they need and deserve to help support them and their families while they focus on healing and moving forward.