The goal of accident reconstruction is to determine the events of an accident and identify the causal factors. Our firm has over 45 years of experience investigating, analyzing, and identifying what really happened in an accident, then presenting the evidence clearly as either an insurance expert witness or personal injury expert witness.
Our consulting scientists and engineers have reconstructed accident cases from the predominately vehicular cases (generally involving automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, bicycles, pedestrians, or even buses or tractor trailers) to cases involving cable cars, forklifts and other heavy equipment, as well as elevators and escalators.
The investigation phase of accident reconstruction involves compiling all available evidence from skid mark measurements, photos at the scene, data extraction from any Event Data Recorders (EDR aka “black boxes”), physical evidence (the vehicles, seat belts, tires, airbags, etc.) inspected in detail, and of lesser value, witness statements and reports. After gathering all the evidence, the insurance expert witness recreates the accident on paper, and in computer-aided animations.
The most important scientific elements when evaluating a reconstruction are the laws of physics, momentum, impulse, weight, velocity, drag factor, coefficient of restitution, Delta-V or change in velocity and crush. The application of the knowledge of physics, engineering, Newtonian principles, and other relevant expertise (such as biomechanics and human factors) are key to determining the actual facts of what happened in an accident.
Insurance Expert Witness
The personal experience of the reconstruction expert is also vital. In accident reconstruction experience really does matter and our insurance expert witnesses have the experience that will make a difference in the court room. Associates at Boster, Kobayashi & Associates have varied roles and the increasingly rapid introduction of new vehicle technologies, materials and paints means that we are constantly training, evolving and learning new methods, skills and laws.Personal Injury Expert Witness
Finally there is the presentation of the reconstruction and conclusions. Our associates are experienced in providing expert witness testimony that is clear and understandable—taking complex concepts and illustrating them in everyday terms—to judge, jury and attorneys. For example our personal injury expert witnesses often translate a reconstruction into a three dimensional animated model. This is helpful as a video clip presentation can take minutes to demonstrate the incident and is useful to explain a complicated accident, particularly to a jury. We present the facts and serve the court with honesty and integrity. In fact, since 1967 we have covered over 30,000 accident reconstructions and offered personal injury expert witness testimony in over 1,300 court trials.
» Read about Biomechanics analysis in accident reconstruction.