What’s the Difference: Accident Reconstructionists Versus Engineers that do Root-Cause Failure Analysis?
Posted on May 20, 2011
Attorneys that handle litigation involving various types of vehicle accidents may retain these professionals as investigators and/or expert witnesses. When is the use of one more appropriate than the other? The answer depends on what primary information is being sought to support your client’s case. The reconstructionist typically can determine, for example, the contribution of macro-scale factors in the accident, i.e., the vehicle itself, the conditions of the highway or the operator of the vehicle. This might include the overall condition of a car’s brakes, its lights or turn indicators, the cruise control, etc. or he or she might come to conclusions about driver reaction time and vehicle speed prior to the accident by studying the on-board data recorder, highway skid marks and medical records of the driver. The findings often clearly indicate responsibility for the accident.
The engineer’s focus often is on a micro-scale. He or she will typically concentrate on the specific mechanical and metallurgical properties of the various vehicle components potentially involved, their design and the possible failure mechanisms. The latter might include wear due to lack of lubrication, over stress and fracture of a key component before or due to the collision, use of defective materials or corrosion damage of a key part prior to the accident. Investigating these factors frequently involves completing specialized laboratory tests. Defining the failure mechanism often points to the party with most of the liability for the accident, for example, the vehicle’s original manufacturer, the repair shop, the after-market replacement part that failed or the lack of normal maintenance of the vehicle by the driver.
Sometimes the reconstructionist is also a licensed engineer and he or she may undertake all aspects of an accident investigation. More often the reconstructionist has many years of practical experience with highway accidents while employed in law enforcement plus specialized education in automobile accident investigation. The licensed professional engineer (P.E.) is more of a generalist. He or she often has more formal education plus experience with specialized laboratory or other analysis techniques that may be needed. Both types of professionals may be qualified as expert witnesses and often both are needed and retained in complex cases.
