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Accident Reconstruction: A Comprehensive Investigative Process

Fri, 28 May 2021 15:31:07 GMT

A car accident is a result of various factors that should be considered during a personal injury case. Accident reconstruction plays a crucial role in such investigations because it helps courts determine the possible causes of an accident that led to a certain injury or death.

The accident reconstruction process is conducted by qualified, trained, and certified experts who are able identify and quantify contributory factors in a road accident. Some of these factors include equipment failure, defective road conditions, weather at the time of collision and driver characteristics (level of alertness and distraction).

Here is how these biomechanical engineering experts help attorneys explain a personal injury case.

Photographic & Video Evidence

Biomechanical and accident reconstruction experts use investigative photographs and surveillance videos to complete the evaluation and simulation of the accident’s contributing factors. Visual evidence that is used to complete an accident reconstruction and analysis includes the surface of the roadway, impact marks, and tire marks.

Employing the Principles of Math & Physics

Once the biomechanical and accident reconstruction experts succeed in accumulating and putting together the critical pieces of information, they proceed with the reconstruction and simulation process using physics and mathematical principles.

Looking for an experienced and trustworthy accident reconstruction expert for your case? Reach out to the experts at TLS Forensic Engineering. They provide forensic biomechanics assessments and simulations in order to help you fully explain the details of your personal injury case. Contact them to learn more today.

How Video Evidence is Used in Accident Reconstruction: A Primer

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 16:57:21 GMT

When handled, interpreted, and analyzed properly, video can be utilized to extract objective information about time and position in order to estimate speed in accident reconstruction. In this piece, we’re going to detail how video evidence is used in accident and collision reconstruction. Take a look.

Sources of Video Evidence

Many security systems tend to keep videos for short periods before they are overwritten, making it crucial to access them as quickly as possible. Here are some common sources of video footage accident reconstruction experts tend to look for:

Security footage from nearby residential or commercial buildings
Interior and exterior security views from transit vehicles
Dashcam video from the vehicle involved in the accident
Dashcam video from a witness’s vehicle
Dashcam video from a vehicle/vehicles that arrive at the scene after, such as police vehicles
Video from news media drones/helicopters
Video from photojournalists at the scene of the accident
Video from involved parties’ cell phones at the scene of the accident

Understanding the Information That Be Gleaned from Video Evidence

Just as photogrammetry allows collision reconstruction experts to extract measurements from photos, ‘videogrammetry’ is a similar type of methodology used for analysis of videos.

Analysis of video footage allows reconstruction experts to extract measurements of positions, as well as important information about time, which is extracted via the camera’s frame rate. By extracting both position and time information, experts can precisely estimate the speed on impact and measure the vehicle’s acceleration. Moreover, if there is accompanying audio in the footage, it can help make a more precise estimate of the speed on impact.

The level of complexity of the video analysis depends on the type and quality of the video footage. At times, video analysis can be relatively simple. However, if scaling needs to be used to determine the vehicle’s speed on impact, then that can take more time.

TLS Forensic Engineering—Accident and Collision Reconstruction Experts

We are leading experts in the field of injury and accident reconstruction . With our complete mechanism for accident reconstruction and injury analysis, we can provide you with a detailed understanding of the sequence of events in vehicle accident cases.

Get in touch with our team for more information.

Understanding Night-time Visibility Reconstruction

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 17:04:07 GMT

Pedestrian fatalities have remained somewhat consistent in Canada between 2009 and 2018, averaging around 316 per year . According to the World Health Organization (WHO), pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists account for more than half of all road traffic fatalities worldwide.

In Canada, pedestrians account for 17 percent of fatalities in motor vehicle accidents, motorcyclists account for 11 percent, and bicyclists account for 2 percent. When it comes to serious injuries caused by motor vehicle accidents, pedestrians account for 15 percent , motorcyclists account for 12 percent, and bicyclists account for 4 percent.

According to the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, 20 percent of all fatal collisions involve driver fatigue. Fatigue-related crashes occur more frequently during the night time, between 3: 00 am and 5:59 am.

With that in mind, accident and collision reconstruction experts typically conduct what’s known as night-time visibility reconstruction to assess the visibility conditions at the time of accidents that occur at night.

Here’s what you need to know.

Replicating Conditions

In order to reconstruct what the driver would have been able to see, you need to replicate as many as possible of the following factors:

Time of night: This involves attending the scene of the accident at the same or similar time of night.
Weather conditions: Attending the scene in weather conditions that are the most similar to those at the time of the accident.
Vehicle lights: Using a similar vehicle or one that’s equipped with headlamps that are similar to those on the vehicle involved in the accident.
Pedestrian: Using a test subject or a dummy wearing similar clothing as the individual who was struck in the accident.
Background and other considerations: As much as is practically possible, the scene’s background that the driver would view the pedestrian against will have to be replicated.

Measuring Visibility

Measuring the visibility of the scene involves taking luminance measurements of the background as well as those of the test pedestrian and the general collision area.

Capturing Representative Photographs

When conducting night-time visibility reconstruction, it’s important to take photographs that represent what the investigators could see at the time of the study to provide a general idea of the lighting at the scene of the collision.

Determining Visibility and Detection Distances

The final task to carry out is determining at which point the pedestrian would have first become visible to the driver. On closed roads, this involves driving a vehicle forward slowly until the test pedestrian becomes discernible. In order to get a reliable result, the test is performed repeatedly.

TLS Forensic Engineering—Accident and Collision Reconstruction Experts

Get in touch with our team for more information.

Investigating Slip and Fall/Trip and Fall Incidents

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 10:28:16 GMT

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that falls are the second leading cause of accidental or unintentional injury deaths globally. Every year, about 646,000 fatalities result from falls worldwide, while 37.3 million falls are severe enough to warrant medical attention.

When it comes to studying and investigating falls, you need to understand how individuals typically move when walking, the mechanics of the interaction between an individual’s foot and the surface they’re walking on, and the types of obstacles that make certain surfaces unsafe to walk on. Hence, investigating slip and fall/trip and fall incidents is typically a multidisciplinary process that involves biomechanics, mechanical and civil engineering, and physics.

Understanding the Gait Cycle

The gait cycle for human beings starts and ends with the heel of one foot striking the ground and is divided into two phases—the stance phase (when the individual’s foot is in contact with the ground), which is about 60 percent of the cycle, and the swing phase (when the individual’s foot is lifted off the ground and swung through the air) which is the remaining 40 percent of the cycle.

That said, a more detailed understanding of a human being’s gait cycle outlines seven stages:

Heelstrike: The point at which a person’s heel makes first contact with the ground.
Flatfoot: The point at which the complete sole is in contact with the ground. The body’s center of mass moves forward toward the planted foot.
Midstance: The point at which the body’s center of mass passes over the foot on the ground and the other foot is lifted off the ground.
Push off: The point at which the toes push off and the planted foot’s heel begins to rise.
Acceleration: The point at which the foot rises and gains speed.
Midswing: The point at which the foot is completely off the ground and moves toward the body’s center of gravity.
Deceleration: The point at which the foot’s speed slows down and the foot is lowered to the ground, heel first.

It’s important to understand that both slips and trips occur due to various mechanisms, meaning they can occur at any point during the gait cycle.

Slip and Falls

A slip is the result of insufficient friction between the individual’s foot and the ground, meaning the person cannot complete a normal gait cycle. As a result, the person’s foot slides on the surface.

In terms of the gait cycle, slips tend to occur most frequently at the heelstrike stage—the person’s heel slides forward, causing the individual’s center of mass to be displaced rearward.

Trip and Falls

A trip, on the other hand, is the result of the person’s foot making contact with a change in elevation or discontinuity in the walking surface. Trips tend to occur most frequently at the midswing stage of the gait cycle. As the person’s foot swings forward, it encounters a discontinuity in the surface, causing the body to undergo a forward rotation, leading to a forward displacement of the individual’s center of mass.

TLS Forensic Engineering—Trusted Biomechanics and Injury Analysis Experts

Get in touch with our team for more information.

The 5 Most Common Causes of Car Accidents and Collisions

Sat, 30 Jan 2021 14:00:02 GMT

Although Canada has seen a drop in the number of casualties and serious injuries from road accidents in recent years, there’s no denying that they remain as dangerous as ever. There is still a significant number of accidents that take place each year for various causes.

Some of the most common factors that affect and contribute to vehicle and pedestrian accidents include a combination of external factors, human error, and some avoidable circumstances. Learn what the leading causes of car accidents and collisions are below:

1. Weather and road conditions

It’s no secret that Canadian weather can be quite the road safety hazard , and this has been proven through multiple road accidents. From minor collisions to major pile-ups, trucks, cars, bicycles, and pedestrians have all been involved in accidents due to the severe weather. In these cases, it's exceptionally difficult to determine who was at fault, making forensic analysis all the more valuable.

2. Speeding

Speeding is one of the most notable causes of road accidents in the world, contributing to thousands of deaths a year. It comes as no surprise that so many drivers end up causing accidents by violating speeding limits and laws, which is why it's crucial to monitor how fast you go.

3. Driving while impaired

A gain, driving while impaired due to alcohol or drug use is another leading cause of road accidents and collisions. The effects of these substances inhibit your decision-making abilities and cognitive skills to the point of posing a major hazard to other drivers, pedestrians, and yourself.

4. Distracted driving

Don't text and drive is something you've probably heard before, but other actions like eating and driving, device use, speaking on the phone, interacting with other passengers can all cause distracted driving and thus, lead to car accidents. Distracted driving is easily avoidable and incredibly dangerous since it takes barely a moment for everything to crash.

5. Manufacturing faults

Faulty manufacturing, such as in the breaks, can also be a cause of accidents , making you eligible for damage claims and relieving you of the burden. Faulty or defective cars can cause life-threatening accidents that leave drivers and their families, as well as other pedestrians and motorists injured.

If you’re the victim of a car crash or collision, reach out to us to learn more about how our accident reconstruction services can benefit you. We work with personal injury lawyers, insurance companies and provide expert testimonials for court cases and more. Find out more about how we use forensic biomechanics to deliver accurate accounts and results here .

What to Do in Case of a Hit and Run Accident

Thu, 28 Jan 2021 16:19:00 GMT

Hit and run accidents, and the deaths resulting from them, are at an all-time high in the United States, as people struggle to get justice for the damage, loss of life, injury, and trauma caused by them. Often, these cases can be difficult to solve and take years, before inevitably going cold and bringing no closure to the families of the victims.

It’s important to know that it’s not the accident that’s criminal; it’s abandoning the site and taking off that is. This is why drivers who find that they’ve been in accidents or collisions should not abandon the victim.

If you ever find that you’ve been involved in a hit and run case, and your vehicle or person has been harmed, here’s what you should do immediately:

Call emergency services for injuries

Call emergency services immediately and report any injuries and physical harm to them so they may offer instant help and assistance. It's vital that you contact them without delay because not all injuries are apparent; if your loved one is unconscious, has been directly impacted or hit, or is bleeding, follow these instructions to keep them safe .

Report the crime to local law enforcement

If there are no injuries, or those are being dealt with, report the case to law enforcement without delay. This will ensure that police are involved right away; they wll swiftly begin their investigation and interventions , whether that’s tracking down the vehicle or working on identifying the driver. The longer you take to report your case to your local accident and collision reporting center, the longer it will take to process.

Gather any and all witnesses in the area

If you’re able to speak to eyewitnesses, get down their contact information or refer them to law enforcement to help in the near future. Eyewitness accounts are essential for court cases and insurance investigations, so having their information and agreement to the investigation is vital.

Get photographs of the damage done

Use your phone to take photos if possible, and assess the damage there. Debris, dents, damage, paint transfer all make for important evidence in case of an investigation, so be sure to safely photograph the site of the collision.

Inform your insurance provider and lawyer

I n the same way, you need to inform your local law enforcement, you should also alert your insurance agent and personal injury lawyers about your accident. Both parties will help you get the claim you need for damages caused by the incident. Your lawyer will also help you press charges and fight your case, as well as represent you in insurance evaluations if necessary.

Alongside a lawyer and insurance agent, you should reach out to us. We offer vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle accident reconstruction using forensic biomechanics and other expert techniques. If you're the legal counsel or personal injury litigation, you can contact us to help with your client.

Building a Case in Court: How Accident Reconstruction Can Help

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 19:15:25 GMT

Providing the facts in the case of a vehicular or pedestrian accident isn’t as simple as one would assume. There’s no guarantee that jurors will see the case the same way the victim, their family, or their legal counsel do, because sometimes, the events and facts aren't crystal clear. Other times, even with evidence to support the claim, the defendant may be in the right or have a strong case that works in their favour.

Regardless of who’s right and who’s wrong, courts are meant to uphold the law and make sure justice is delivered where due. Working with accident reconstruction specialists such as our team can help you when going to court in multiple ways, including:

The analysis will look at all possible causes of the accident

Whether the accident was the result of poor visibility, speeding issues, or a manufacturing fault, the forensic analysis and accident reconstruction will factor in all these issues as possible causes.

This helps determine whether the fault is solely the driver's or if there are other causes that could be to blame, helping legal counsel build a case in favour of their client, regardless of which party they represent. For the defendant, it's easy to prove they're not at fault; for the plaintiff, there are various factors that need to be proven to establish that they were wronged.

Reconstruction helps create a visual for jurors

Despite all evidence, the decisions eventually boil down to the judge and jury, which means it's important they receive the most objective, fact-based account of the incident. A reconstruction helps create a visual for jurors, who might need more details and information about the ongoing issue.

Expert testimony corroborates and clarifies witness accounts

Eyewitness accounts are always important in cases, especially those that are difficult to conclude. Since 79% of pedestrian accidents tend to happen in urban areas with dense populations, it’s easy to find multiple witnesses, even if all their stories are not cohesive. Two witnesses at different points or locations may see different things, or different witness accounts may not make sense in isolation, but when used in the analysis and reconstruction, build a more cohesive narrative of the events.

You can reach out to us at TLS Forensic Engineering to know more about our forensic biomechanics expert services, testimony, and more, working with our Dr. Thomas Jenkyn’s expertise in court .

3 Ways A Biomechanics Expert Can Help Your Case

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 17:16:14 GMT

Suppose a car accident has occurred and you want to file a personal injury case to receive money for damages such as trauma, injury, medical bills, car insurance etc. In that case, you and your lawyer should retain a biomechanics expert.

A biomechanics expert uses accident reconstruction to help determine the contributing factors of a collision. They analyze the evidence from the accident scene, and use simulation software for the crash investigation.

Here are a few ways a biomechanics expert can help your case.

Give You Details About the Accident

A biomechanics expert is trained and qualified to examine the crash and provide important details about the accident. They can help you find out the speed at which the vehicles were travelling before the crash, the severity of the accident, the occupant's actions before the crash, and other external contributing factors.

In most cases, the people involved in the crash are too overwhelmed or disoriented to fill in the blanks about what happened before and after the accident. A biomechanics expert can provide quantified information by using simulation software that recreates the accident.

Testifying or Providing Evidence in Court

The process of accident reconstruction is scientific and methodological, and uses the laws of physics and occupant kinematics. A biomechanics expert can provide a concise report about the accident, which can be used as evidence in a court case.

Biomechanics experts also have experience in investigating an accident and can provide professional testimony in personal litigation. For example, if the plaintiff argues that the injuries caused by the accident need to be covered, a biomechanics expert's testimony can provide additional detail to your testimony.

Trying to prove liability in a car crash or automobile accident is complicated, and there are many factors to consider in deciding who should pay for the damages that occurred. These damages can include payment for causing trauma or injury, covering the medical expenses, repairing the vehicles damaged in the accident etc.

Answering Important Questions

A biomechanics expert can calculate the vehicle's speed and the occupant's movements at the time of the crash.

By evaluating the accident scene and determining the sequence of events such as the vehicles' position, the impact severity, ability of the driver to avoid the accident, damages that occurred etc., a biomechanics expert can answer significant questions regarding a personal injury case.

TLS Forensic Engineering has highly trained and experienced biomechanics experts who use state-of-the-art technology to determine the mechanism of injury and impact. Benefit from accident reconstruction experts in your case today! Call 479-595-8388 for more information.

To Hire or Not: 3 Reasons for Hiring an Accident Construction Expert

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 17:04:26 GMT

If you're not sure whether or not to hire an accident reconstruction or biomechanical expert to provide evidence in your personal injury case, here are some reasons that might help you decide.

When Should You Hire an Accident Reconstruction Expert?

If you get into an accident and suffer severe trauma or injury, which requires you to get medical treatment, it might be a good idea to have your personal injury lawyer retain an accident reconstruction expert.

Consult with an accident reconstruction expert during the litigation process as the accident scene and the vehicles involved are integral to understanding what happened and who is at fault.

Do You Need an Accident Reconstruction Expert to Testify in Court?

You should hire an expert if you think you'll need them to provide evidence-based information in court about the accident. Accident reconstruction experts use simulation software to recreate the accident and determine the contributing factors of the collision.

Will You Challenge Liability in A Collision?

Accident reconstruction experts provide information about how the accident occurred and which party is at fault. They are also beneficial in challenging liability in an accident.

Benefit from the knowledge and experience of an accident reconstruction expert using TLS Forensics Engineering. Our highly trained accident reconstruction experts can provide you with critical information for your personal injury case. Get in the detail about your accident presented in court with TLS Forensic Engineering !

Accident Reconstruction: Getting to Know the Basics

Sat, 09 Jan 2021 10:17:55 GMT

If you've ever been in an accident and can't recall the details for your personal injury case, an accident reconstructionist can help you.

Here's everything to know about accident reconstruction and how it's useful in personal litigation.

What Is Accident Reconstruction?

Accident reconstruction is a process where scientific methodology is used to determine the mechanics and factors contributing to a collision.

The field of accident reconstruction takes knowledge from different disciplines such as physics, mathematics, vehicle dynamics, computer applications, graphics, photo management.

An accident reconstruction answers questions such as how fast the vehicle was going when it crashed, the angle at which the two vehicles collided, driver actions and responses and the contributing factors that were responsible for the accident victims' injury or trauma.

The Process of Accident Reconstruction

When reconstructing an accident, it's essential to inspect the collision vehicle. Experts view the photographs that display vehicle damage and read the traffic collision reports.

Accident reconstruction experts also rely on witness statements and deposition transcripts. There’s often some information missing in traffic officers’ reports, which witnesses or emergency personnel present at the accident can provide.

By inspecting different information sources, a collision expert can quantify the vehicle damage and provide evidence-based information about the collision type and severity

How Accident Reconstruction Helps Interpret Data

After collecting all the evidence, accident reconstruction experts analyze the data to form hypotheses by utilizing software simulations to recreate the accident.

The professionals interpret the data to summarize the vehicle movements, such as speed estimates, points of rest, and impact points. An independent estimate of speed provided by a professional helps to provide evidence in a court of law.

Professionals also use physics and occupant kinematic laws to provide a detailed explanation about the occupants' movements during the accident and afterward. These details can help identify whether the driver was at fault and the factors that contributed to the accident, such as high speed or failing to yield the right way.

Hire an accident reconstruction specialist to build a personal injury case and present your side of events in the courtroom. Contact TLS Forensic Engineering and benefit from our experienced accident reconstruction experts . Uncover the truth of your accident with TLS Forensic Engineering !

tls_forensic

Accident Reconstruction: A Comprehensive Investigative Process

Photographic & Video Evidence

﻿

Employing the Principles of Math & Physics

How Video Evidence is Used in Accident Reconstruction: A Primer

Sources of Video Evidence

Understanding the Information That Be Gleaned from Video Evidence

TLS Forensic Engineering—Accident and Collision Reconstruction Experts

Understanding Night-time Visibility Reconstruction

Replicating Conditions

Measuring Visibility

Capturing Representative Photographs

Determining Visibility and Detection Distances

TLS Forensic Engineering—Accident and Collision Reconstruction Experts

Investigating Slip and Fall/Trip and Fall Incidents

Understanding the Gait Cycle

Slip and Falls

Trip and Falls

TLS Forensic Engineering—Trusted Biomechanics and Injury Analysis Experts

The 5 Most Common Causes of Car Accidents and Collisions

1. Weather and road conditions

2. Speeding

3. Driving while impaired

4. Distracted driving

5. Manufacturing faults

What to Do in Case of a Hit and Run Accident

Call emergency services for injuries

Report the crime to local law enforcement

Gather any and all witnesses in the area

Get photographs of the damage done

Inform your insurance provider and lawyer

Building a Case in Court: How Accident Reconstruction Can Help

The analysis will look at all possible causes of the accident

Reconstruction helps create a visual for jurors

Expert testimony corroborates and clarifies witness accounts

3 Ways A Biomechanics Expert Can Help Your Case

Give You Details About the Accident

Testifying or Providing Evidence in Court

Answering Important Questions

To Hire or Not: 3 Reasons for Hiring an Accident Construction Expert

When Should You Hire an Accident Reconstruction Expert?

Do You Need an Accident Reconstruction Expert to Testify in Court?

Will You Challenge Liability in A Collision?

Accident Reconstruction: Getting to Know the Basics

What Is Accident Reconstruction?

The Process of Accident Reconstruction

How Accident Reconstruction Helps Interpret Data