PHILADELPHIA CAR ACCIDENT LAWYER (CSI) CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION
The following, an example of our Philadelphia car accident lawyers doing CSI-like work in the development of a case, is a true story, only the names have been left out to protect the innocent.
It was Summertime; three teenage friends from the Philadelphia suburbs were finishing up the week's work at their summer jobs and excited to get on their way on what was supposed to be an exciting Penn State weekend. The Nissan Maxima had been inspected five months earlier and was supposed to be in perfect shape. With new front tires and a full tank of gas the boys were ready to hit the Pennsylvania Turnpike and hopefully not too much traffic. The youngest of the trio got the "lucky" draw for the front passenger seat, while the passenger in the back just settled into listening to the MP3 player and texting a cousin. Windows wide open, cruising and then tragedy struck. The phone call every parent dreads to hear came early that evening from the Pennsylvania State Police, "I'm sorry to inform you folks your boy was killed in a traffic accident". They had only gotten as far a little past the Montgomery County portion of the Turnpike.
SYNOPSIS OF STATE POLICE INVESTIGATION:
Unit #1 was a 2000 Nissan Maxima driven by a 19-year-old male. Unit #2 was a 2001 Dodge Durango, towing a 2001 TrailLite camper, driven by a 59-year-old female. Operator #1 was reportedly driving at a high rate of speed as he approached unit #2 in the right lane. Operator #1 reportedly went right (as the left lane was occupied) and struck the camper of unit #2 in the right rear (causing minor damage) with the left front of unit #1. Unit #1 traveled onto the north shoulder and then up an embankment adjacent to the shoulder. Unit #1 rolled at least twice before coming to rest within the paved shoulder approximately perpendicular to the roadway facing towards the embankment. During the collision sequence, the right front passenger and right rear passenger of unit #1 were ejected. The right front passenger suffered a fatal injury as a result of this collision.
Conclusions: The following conclusions have been reached during the course of this investigation. They are based on the available information and are believed to be accurate and correct to a reasonable degree of investigative certainty.
1. Unit #1 was traveling westbound on SR 0076 (PA Turnpike).
2. Unit #1 lost control within the westbound shoulder, rotated clockwise, traveled off the roadway edge onto an embankment and subsequently. Rolled over. 1
3. Unit #1’s speed at the beginning of its tire marks was between 54 and 63 mph.
4. No means exist by which to calculate the speed of unit #1 prior to its loss of control on the westbound shoulder.
Multiple witness statements were taken which estimated the speed of the driver between 85-95 mph before losing control of the vehicle and veering off the Turnpike. Extensive evidence secured at the scene mapped trajectory and placed full civil and criminal responsibility on the teenage driver. Driver was prosecuted and pled guilty to reduced charges.
WHAT WE DID WITH THE POLICE FINDINGS:
Our Philadelphia injury lawyers secured a settlement in excess of $500,000 where the driver’s insurance was a mere $50,000.00. How did we do it?
E-mail us for the answer or watch for the next Blog titled:
"Negligent Repair – Too Much Air"
