Most people who are involved in car accidents do not immediately go into investigative mode, especially if they are injured. Most people seek medical assistance, call the police, and try to exchange insurance information. Even if the injured driver thinks that the accident was caused by the other driver, he may not even think to note key facts about the accident site in order to help future investigations.
Accident investigations can be helpful in situations where a person’s accident-related costs go beyond those covered by his insurance company and the person has suffered serious or permanent injuries as a result of the car accident. Accident investigations are generally conducted by police, insurance companies, and independent investigators hired by attorneys representing the person injured in the accident. The goal of an accident investigation or reconstruction is to determine which driver or which factors caused the accident.
In some cases, relying on the police investigation of the accident may be sufficient for the injured person to secure a settlement from the negligent driver. However, police investigations are not focused on the same issues as an investigation by an insurance company or by a plaintiff in a personal injury case. In some cases, it may be necessary for the injured person to conduct an independent investigation in order to get a definitive answer as to which party was at fault in causing the accident.
Investigators look at a lot of different information when trying to figure out what happened in an accident. They look at the scene of the accident, interview witnesses, and inspect the cars involved in the accident. Some investigators conduct crash tests using test vehicles. The investigators also inspect skid marks, take photographs, take various measurements and gather other physical evidence at the scene of the accident. Investigators then provide their findings in a way that can show which driver was responsible for the accident in a clear manner. This information can be helpful in court as well as to negotiate with an insurance company for a settlement.
Even in cases where one accident investigator presents findings as to the cause of the accident, the other party may also have an investigator who presents contrary findings. The determination of fault in this case may be ultimately made by a judge or a jury and depend on the expertise of the investigator and the methods the investigator used in arriving at the conclusion.
Contact an Experienced Car Accident Attorney
Not everyone who is injured in an accident will need to hire an accident investigator in order to prove his case for compensation, especially if the cause of the accident is straightforward, as is the case with most rear end collision. But, in order to have a better idea of what would be required in seeking compensation for serious injuries following a car accident, the injured person should contact a personal injury attorney. To find out more about filing a claim, contact an experienced car accident injury lawyer at Vocelle & Berg, LLP, in Vero Beach, Florida for a free consultation.
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Resource:
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0600-0699/0627/Sections/0627.737.html