Every year, the auto insurance and personal injury claims increase due to traffic automobile accidents. A statistical projection of traffic accidents indicates that the estimated number of people injured on the U.S. roads increased in 2015 from 2.34 to 2.44 million injured people. For the first half of 2016, fatalities had also increased about 10.4 percent as compared to the first half of 2015. This has been the largest percentage since 1965. As a result, automobile accident expert witnesses are required from a variety of professional specialties to investigate, provide an opinion or testimony.
In vehicular accident cases, both lawyers and juries prefer active professionals from the automobile industry over non-professional and academic experts.
Highway Design Engineers
Auto Accidents can be caused either by a mistake by one or more drivers, or due to some defect in one of the vehicles. Highways can also be a factor as to why a car crashes. Highway Design Engineers may provide reports concerning traffic control, work zone construction, high way transportation and geometric design. These professionals may also provide expert witness testimony regarding large truck operations, fleet transportation, pedestrian accidents, and human factors. Fatalities include not just drivers but also passenger vehicle occupants, passengers of large trucks, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and drugs or alcohol-impaired drivers. Similarly, the estimated number of police-reported auto crashes has confirmed that during that time fatalities have increased by 3.8 percent, from 6.0 to 6.3 million.
Accident Reconstruction Expert Witnesses
Based on that, Accident Reconstruction Expert Witnesses are required to evaluate the vehicular damage or personal injuries suffered after automobile accidents, that are sometimes the result of criminal negligence, involving serious charges, such as DUI, speeding, reckless driving, and even vehicular manslaughter. Hence, most attorneys rely on Accident Reconstruction expert witnesses to help prove their cases.
Every year, the auto insurance and personal injury claims increase due to traffic accidents
Automotive Engineers
Also because vehicles are often badly damaged and torn apart as a consequence of a high-speed automobile accidents, and in order to determine liability for the accident, the court will require a qualified Automotive Engineer expert witness who can illustrate the jury with their knowledge and practical experience about the revealing details, and to analyze an accident scene; even in the worst damaged vehicles.
Airbag Deployment Experts
Some cases require high-qualified Automobile accident expert witnesses and Mechanical Engineer expert witness. For instance, if
Airbag Deployment Expert can assist in determining factors needed to successfully evaluate the SRS system.
attorneys are convinced that their client’s automobile accident was caused by a defective design, they will look for well-qualified Mechanical Engineers on that brand and model. Thus, automobile accidents expert witnesses can give their testimony based on his expertise. All new cars and light trucks are equipped with supplemental inflatable restraints, known as airbags. With the rapid proliferation of airbags there has been a corresponding reduction in the severity of some crash-related automobile accidents injuries, and many lives have been saved by airbags which function properly. Unfortunately, there has been an alarming increase in the number of injuries and fatalities reported as the result of airbags which malfunction and for occupants who are not seated properly. An Airbag Deployment Expert can assist in determining factors needed to successfully evaluate the SRS system.
Weather Conditions
At times, weather may have had a role in or not had a role in the accident. Many accidents investigations require an expert witness meteorologist to help sort out the role of weather conditions. These could be rain, snow, wind, road temperatures, flooding, dust, fog and visibility, even sun glare and lighting conditions.
Human Factors & Eyewitness Testimony Memory Accuracy
Human Factors & Eyewitness Testimony can be issues in Auto Accidents
The application of knowledge about human abilities, limitations, and other human characteristics can be an important element as it relates to accident casuation. Therefore, Human Factors expert witnesses may be needed to evaluate a wide range of issues. In addition, an eyewitness who views an accident forms memory traces for the events leading up to the accident and the accident itself and may have differing and as a result. Attorneys may need Eyewitness Testimony expert witnesses to review and provide opinion on these types of cases.
Professional Automobile Experts
In vehicular accident cases, both lawyers and juries prefer active Automobile accident expert witnesses from the automobile industry over non-professional and academic experts. Attorneys also look for auto experts who have the highest industry qualifications and certifications. Thus, it is recommendable that experts demonstrate an ongoing interest in updating and improving professional skills. Besides that, expert witnesses’ personality and appearance is very important because experts have to convey to the jury complicated concepts, present their own opinions and conclusions, and respond properly in cross-examination
