2011 was an active year for turbulence-related aviation injuries. Several major airlines operated flights that were affected by turbulence categorized as “moderate” or worse, with multiple events sending passengers and crew to the emergency room. Turbulence is a disturbance in air movements that typically cannot be seen. Turbulence can occur as a result of any […]
Did the claimant sustain a head injury in the incident? Would the diagnosed head injury have been prevented if the claimant was using a protective device such as a helmet, seat belt or airbag? Biomechanical engineers frequently answer injury causation and prevention questions like these in personal injury claims. Causation To answer head injury mechanism […]
Ten years ago, MEA bought the first publicly available system for downloading the electronic crash data stored in black boxes in cars. There was some nervous laughter when colleagues joked that accident reconstruction engineers would soon be out of business. We’re still going strong, and here’s why: 1. Crash data doesn’t answer all the questions. […]
Helicopters can land safely after the engine loses power because the rotor blades can continue to turn, or autorotate, and provide lift. Autorotation is enabled by inserting a freewheel between the engine and the rotor. The freewheel locks the engine to the rotor when the engine is applying power to the rotor, but disengages the […]
A complete understanding of the collision events involving a vehicle-pedestrian impact can mean the difference between winning and losing a case. To achieve this complete understanding, the right information needs to be gathered as soon as possible following an accident. This information includes physical evidence (e.g., photographs and measurements of tire marks, vehicle damage, rest […]
Aircraft accident investigation is considerably more complex than many other areas of forensic engineering. In accidents involving vehicles or consumer products, an expert from a single engineering discipline is often sufficient to analyze your case. Due to the complexity of aviation matters, however, multiple experts from a range of engineering disciplines are often needed. The […]
To succeed in a personal injury auto claim, the plaintiff must prove that the forces applied to them by the defendant’s action (or inaction) caused or substantially contributed to their injury. The defendant, on the other hand, may attempt to show that either the forces were insufficient to cause the plaintiff’s injury or the forces […]
Questions of liability and criminal responsibility often hang on who was driving. The value of a catastrophic injury claim in a single vehicle accident also turns on whether the injured party was the driver or a passenger. But when two vehicle occupants claim the other was driving, the physical evidence may be the only route […]
“I didn’t see them until it was too late!” This phrase often appears in the statements of drivers involved in a nighttime collision, especially when pedestrians are involved. In many cases, it will be very true. Pedestrians often place themselves in situations in which even the alert average driver would be unable to avoid them. […]