The Importance of Truck Accident Reconstruction in Showing Negligence
October 26, 2021 | Attorney, Allan Ziffra
Commercial truck accidents may result in catastrophic injuries, even death. Collisions like these are among the most hazardous traffic mishaps imaginable. If you’re involved in an accident, gathering evidence is critical to pursuing a personal injury lawsuit or making an insurance claim. Read on to learn more about truck accident reconstruction and how it may help your case.
Truck accident reconstruction plays an important role in truck accident injuries. Learn what our experienced truck accident lawyers can do for your situation during a free legal consultation below.
Understanding Accident Reconstruction
An accident reconstruction specialist collects critical evidence about the collision. If hired promptly, the accident reconstructionist can go to the site of the collision and take photographs of skid marks, vehicle damage, and other important details.
The damage to the cars, as well as any photographs taken of the accident scene and the collision area, can be evaluated by an accident reconstruction expert if the accident isn’t recent. The data is used to create an accident reconstruction program or a simulation model in order to analyze the accident.
- Vehicle dimensions
- Vehicle Weight
- Information on steering and braking
- Kind of surface traveled on
- Type of weather conditions
- Direction of movement
- Type of road conditions
The reconstruction project produces time histories of the vehicles’ paths. The reconstruction expert conducts a number of tests to establish the ideal simulation parameters, such as travel speeds and angles until the simulation matches the actual evidence from the accident.
The estimated amount of damage is based on National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash tests. The vehicles’ damage profiles are established so that the photographs and the crumpled cars may be compared.
The accident reconstructionist must have correct data on the vehicles’ resting positions in order to create a realistic simulation of vehicle speed and movement following impact. The officer who responded to the collision site may have taken these measurements, or an investigator from the trucking firm might have been sent to the location.
Why Is It Necessary to Prove Negligence?
Florida is a “no-fault” insurance state, meaning that in the event of a car accident, both parties turn to their auto insurance policies to make claims, regardless of who was at fault.
No-fault laws are intended to make it simpler for individuals harmed in a vehicle accident to obtain medical treatment. There are, however, certain limitations. For example, PIP insurance covers only a set amount for medical costs. If your injuries are serious enough to meet the law’s “injury threshold,” or exceed your PIP coverage, you may choose to pursue legal action against the other motorist.
This is why it is important to prove negligence. If it is proven that the other driver was negligent, their insurance takes the responsibility of paying for damages caused by the accident.
By demonstrating that the other driver was negligent, you can establish negligence by knowing these factors:
- Did not yield the right-of-way
- Was distracted
- Was impaired by drugs, alcohol, prescription, or over-the-counter medication
- Following too closely
- Speeding at the time of the accident
An experienced personal injury lawyer can assist you in proving negligence and attempting to obtain compensation for your accident claim.
For More Information, Get in Touch with a Skilled Attorney Right Away
If you were in a truck accident and need additional information about the accident reconstruction process, contact an experienced truck accident lawyer at Rue & Ziffra right away. We’ll explore the circumstances of your accident and discuss accident reconstruction and other evidence that might help your case. We can handle negotiations with the insurance company and use whatever evidence is available to back up your claim. To book a free consultation, contact us right away.
Allan Ziffra
Personal Injury Lawyer
This article has been written and reviewed by Allan Ziffra. Allan L. Ziffra is a founding partner and president of Rue & Ziffra, a personal injury law firm. With over two decades of experience, Allan has litigated cases involving catastrophic injuries, securing over $100 million for clients. He holds a Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of Miami and a JD from Stetson University.