Accident / Reconstruction Investigation

What Is An Accident Investigation?

Accident investigation and reconstruction determines how an accident occurred, who’s at fault, and can prevent future accidents.

Each day across the United States, people and machines react unexpectedly, causing thousands of accidents. For accidents that result in injury or death, it is not enough to say something went wrong.

What Happens and Who is Involved in an Accident Investigation?

After an accident, an investigation is conducted by police or independent investigators and is followed by reconstruction of the incident.

Police look for criminal activity including speeding, mechanical violations, alcohol involvement, etc.
Independent investigators, usually hired by insurance companies or attorneys, analyze the cause of the accident to determine who is at fault.

The investigation has many different aspects:

Inspection of the accident site which includes interviews with witnesses, photographs of the scene, and documentation of other evidence (point of impact, final positions, skid marks, etc.).
For motor accidents, vehicle inspections are conducted that note the amount of damage or potential mechanical issues.

All this leads to reconstruction:

Physics and information found at the scene help determine the cause of the accident.
Computer software programs are usually used for visual analysis.

Are There Different Types of Accident Investigation?

The most common accident investigation deals with vehicular accidents. Car wrecks happen daily and it helps to have a third party on your side when insurance companies and police are dragging their feet dealing with your car accident. Accident investigations, however, are not limited to automobiles. Marine investigations, for example, investigate boating accidents and other accidents on the water. Employee accident investigations are often conducted by insurance companies and employers to determine how an employee was injured on the job and resulting worker compensation issues.

Why Do You Need An Accident Investigator?

To determine what caused an accident and prevent accidents in the future. If an accident has occurred on your company's premises or on your private property, an accident investigation can help you prevent similar accidents in the future.
To reduce liability in an accident. If you don't know what really happened in an accident, you may be liable for damages and injuries. A good accident investigator can prove that you were not at fault, save you long court hassles and save you thousands of dollars.
To get answers. Sometimes, just knowing what really happened brings a sense of closure. An accident reconstruction can tell you what really happened in a specific situation.
To get evidence that can stand up in court. If you're trying to collect claims for an accident or need to prove that you did not cause an accident through negligence or other fault, only a qualified accident investigator can help you get the evidence you need to solidify your court case.