This case takes place in Florida and involves a young man who was killed in an auto accident by means of a vertebral fracture in the neck. The man was driving at the posted speed limit on a two-lane country road he traveled frequently when he was struck by the other driver, who had not stopped at a stop sign. The defendant driver claims that the sign was not visible at the time of the crash due to the presence of overgrown foliage. The plaintiff attorney required an expert in vehicle accident reconstruction with ACTAR certification to evaluate the fatal injuries suffered by the decedent driver in the case, reconstruct the scene using a popular image processing application such as Jvt, and extrapolate the status of several factors (variability in momentum, weight, speed, and seatbelt status) as they existed at the time of the accident.
Question(s) For Expert Witness
1. Are you familiar with biomechanics, kinesiology, and the scientific method that goes into determining the outcomes of collisions?
2. Can you discuss the factors that go into determining the biomechanics of collisions?
3. Have you ever served a similar case in the past?
Expert Witness Response E-006618
Without knowing the exact mechanics of the accident (speed, change in velocity, positions of occupants, etc.) it is not possibly to say much with regards to the mechanics of the case. Methodologies exist for a vertebral fracture of the cranial vertebrae from large forces and accelerations (among other methods). These forces can be used to show that a fracture may occur in a high speed collision, or due to mechanics of an accident. Through my background in biomechanics I can analyze the forces experienced by the occupants and determine if the injuries are consistent with the forces. At my firm we have a collaborative team and I will work with one of our certified accident Reconstructionist to determine the forces experienced by the vehicle.
About the author
Joseph O'Neill
Joe has extensive experience in online journalism and technical writing across a range of legal topics, including personal injury, meidcal malpractice, mass torts, consumer litigation, commercial litigation, and more. Joe spent close to six years working at Expert Institute, finishing up his role here as Director of Marketing. He has considerable knowledge across an array of legal topics pertaining to expert witnesses. Currently, Joe servces as Owner and Demand Generation Consultant at LightSail Consulting.
