It is vitally important to get a thorough medical exam of your body after you’ve been in a car accident. And it can be almost just as important to get a thorough exam of cars involved as well.
An inspection can reveal a lot about what happened before, during, and after a collision. Ultimately, an inspection could be the factor that helps you recover compensation for your losses in a personal injury lawsuit.
Consult an Expert
Many car repair businesses conduct vehicle inspections of various types, but after an accident, you need an inspection from a specialist. It is best to work with a professional who conducts vehicle inspections after collisions with the aim of determining specifically what happened and who could be liable. A comprehensive approach can be much more valuable than an inspection from a mechanic who is just looking for a few specific standard features on a bare-bones safety checklist.
The expert you hire to inspect the vehicle should be prepared to provide a full report of the findings with all the details. You also want that expert to be available to testify on your behalf if the case should go to trial.
Your attorney can coordinate the details regarding reports and testimony, help determine which vehicles need to be inspected, and manage the logistics.
Exterior Inspection
Sometimes referred to as a visual inspection, an exterior inspection involves looking at features visible from the outside of the vehicle. An inspector will review elements such as:
- Tire condition
- Headlights
- Signal lights such as brake lights and turn signals
- Windshield wipers
- Body damage
The exterior inspection can reveal information about the impacts that occurred during the accident and also the potential causes of the accident. For instance, worn or bald tires can keep a car from slowing down appropriately when the brakes are applied, resulting in a rear-end collision. A driver operating on bald tires could be considered negligent for doing so. Or if headlights are burned out or dirty, a driver could be negligent for driving while not able to see clearly at night.
Systems Inspection
After reviewing the exterior of the vehicle, an expert will then examine systems that could have played a role in the collision, as well as systems that can provide a clearer picture of what happened during the accident. An inspector could review the imaging of the Airbag Control Module and other Endpoint Detection and Response tools. The inspector will thoroughly review the components of the braking system, checking for signs of wear, damage, and usage patterns.
In many cases, the vehicle restraint system affects the severity of injuries in a collision, so features of the system will be inspected carefully. Because the experts who conduct these types of inspections are trained to look for causal elements, finding an anomaly in one area can often lead them to spot other potential problems with the vehicle. They may determine that the failure of a complex component requires further analysis by an industry specialist.
Piecing Together the Evidence
A vehicle inspection alone is not enough to demonstrate liability for a car crash. Accident attorneys need to put together all the pieces of evidence to form a cohesive picture showing what happened, who was responsible, and the harm that resulted. The evidence from a vehicle inspection can provide one or more valuable links in the chain of causation, and then an experienced lawyer forges those links together in a solid argument to demonstrate to insurance companies why they need to provide adequate compensation for the victim.
If an insurance company does not think that the chain of evidence is strong enough, they will let the matter go to court where a judge evaluates the strength of the arguments. A weakness anywhere in the chain could cause a case to collapse, and that is why it is so important to work with an attorney to collect the best evidence after an accident.
Get Help with Inspections and Other Essential Tasks After a Car Accident
Most people get completely overwhelmed after a car crash because there are so many things to think about, and the experience is traumatic. Guidance from an experienced accident attorney can make the process much more manageable.
At the Maus Law Firm, our dedicated legal team can help you collect evidence, deal with insurance companies, answer questions from investigators, and find the resources you need for your best recovery. Contact us today for a free consultation to find out how we can help after your accident.