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Following a vehicle traffic accident, the police will generally conduct an investigation of the crash at the scene. This may involve taking photos, interviewing witnesses, taking statements from those involved, taking measurements, and inspecting the scene.   

They will then issue an accident report that should include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Location, date, and time of the accident
• Identifying information for witnesses and parties involved in the accident
• Vehicle damage
• Weather, roadway, and lighting conditions
• Incident diagram
• Statements from all parties involved
• The cause of the collision
• Citations and other violations

Sometimes, the accident report is not complete, may be missing key information, or is poorly worded. An outside investigation should be conducted to counter this situation. Investigators work for attorneys to reconstruct an accident to determine what happened. The reconstruction involves investigating and drawing conclusions regarding the cause of the accident. Generally, they will apply the laws of physics and engineering to determine contributing factors and the cause. Investigators recreate the accident and collect evidence to provide clarity.

There are key variables in understanding how an accident happened. These involve kinetic energy and momentum. Investigators measure the mass of each vehicle and the distance they slid together while accounting for drag forces, to determine the total momentum. Then they conduct simple time-distance calculations. They will also use more complicated formulas to determine how far a vehicle traveled when braking.

Skid marks are also measured to determine how fast the vehicles were traveling. They may also indicate who may be at fault in an accident. The appearance of the skid mark can tell investigators whether a car was braking, accelerating, or sliding. Therefore, skid marks can indicate who might be at fault for reckless driving.

Since accident scenes cannot be blocked off indefinitely, photographic evidence is crucial to telling the story.

“Being injured in a vehicle accident can be devastating to individuals and families. Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. is there to assist 24/7. We represent people involved in numerous types of personal injury and wrongful death accidents throughout the state of Florida. All clients have unique personal injury cases. Our firm provides personal contact and communication along with aggressive representation,” said Naples Personal Injury Lawyer Randall Spivey.

Naples Personal Injury Lawyer Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one percent (1%) of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact  Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A, in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll-free at 1.888.477.4839, or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County at 239.793.7748.