Accidents on the road often occur for a variety of reasons, including parts failure, inclement weather, excessive speed, distracted drivers, and drivers who are operating their vehicles while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In the event of a serious or fatal accident, the driver responsible for the accident may be held liable for the injuries or fatalities caused by his or her actions.
Criminal charges may include unintentional homicide, DWI, DUI, reckless endangerment, and others, depending on the circumstances of the incident. In the event that an individual is charged with a crime following an accident, he or she may want to consult an experienced criminal defense attorney to discuss his or her legal options.
One technique often presented by the defense is accident reconstruction. The defense may call upon an expert in the field who can reconstruct exactly how the accident occurred, and may be able to prove that the accused individual was not actually at fault for the incident. The expert may be able to outline the events leading up to the crash, how the crash occurred, and what happened following the event. If it can be proved that the accident would have occurred no matter what the condition of the driver was, it may help prove that alcohol, drugs, recklessness, drowsiness, and other factors did not contribute to the accident.
If a defense wishes to use accident reconstruction, it is important that the scene be studied immediately and any evidence needed is gathered in a prompt manner. The expert will typically take pictures at the scene and attempt to piece together the events and how they occurred. He or she will usually examine the vehicles involved in the wreck and try to figure out how they collided and who could be at fault for the accident.
Evidence found in favor of the defense is often crucial in a case involving serious injuries or death. If the person is found guilty of a crime, he or she may face jail time, fines, court costs, probation and other punishment for the act. By reconstructing the events of an accident, the accused individual may be able to prove that the events happened differently than claimed by the prosecution. If you would like to know more about accident reconstruction and criminal defense, visit the website of the Appleton criminal defense lawyers of Kohler, Hart & Priebe.
