FAQ'S
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, just give us a call; your phone call or email will be answered by an actual expert in the field of Accident Reconstruction, Forensic Vehicle Mechanics, Motor Carrier Safety or Private Investigation. You will not be rushed off the phone and there are no "stupid" questions... Approximately 30% of calls to East Coast Forensics are from individuals or victims themselves and not attorneys. While we can't offer legal advice, we can tell you how we can help, so give us a call.
East Coast Forensics will never charge you for an initial phone consult.
Not necessarily... Most of what we do here at East Coast Forensics doesn't require travel but when we do, our travel expenses are pretty modest. We don't mind traveling to locations for consult, scene, vehicle exams and court testimony. In many cases we will provide you with a comprehensive (flat fee) proposal which would include all travel expenses and work up to and including a written report.
Don't let the fact that you're far from us scare you into using a local expert you may not particularly like. Give us a call, after speaking with us for a few minutes, your decision will be an easy one.
If your case involves (or will likely involve) litigation, you would ultimately need an attorney. It is probably a good idea to have a legal consult first before you ask East Coast Forensics to conduct any work. An attorney may want us to proceed in a certain manner or they may not want us to do anything at all.
When it comes to a lawsuit, an attorney is the best "quarterback."
Yes. Our experts have testified all over the country, on both sides of Criminal & Civil cases.
This is a great question because there is no substitute for an expert that has testified before a jury, in depositions and on video. All the knowledge and experience in the world is of little help if the expert can't demonstrate his point to a jury, judge or a questioning attorney.
A Forensic Mechanic is a highly trained and experienced Automotive Technician or "Mechanic" who is tasked with determining the cause and origin of a failed vehicle component. He must also be able to determine if and how this failure attributed to an accident, loss, injury or a fatality. After analysis, the Forensic Mechanic must explain his findings through either an oral or written report and be prepared to give testimony and defend his position in a deposition or trial.
Visit our FORENSIC MECHANICS page for more about this area of expertise.
A Forensic Mechanic would be used to refute or affirm a claim of "Mechanical Defect" and offer an opinion as to cause and origin of that failure.
Component failure could be a consequence of Operator Error, Poor Maintenance, Environmental, Road Hazard and sometimes the failure can be a Manufacturing Defect. A Forensic Mechanic can shift liability by determining the true cause and origin.
An example of this is; a motorist collides with a pedestrian in an intersection, the operator claims they tried to stop but the brakes failed, and if they worked, the accident would have been averted. A Forensic Mechanic would examine the vehicle's braking system, and if no defect or failure was discovered, the culpability would revert to the vehicle operator (or something other than the vehicle's brakes).
Visit our FORENSIC MECHANICS page for more about this area of expertise.