Past Projects

A bicyclist on their way to work before sunrise was struck by an automobile and injured. No citations were issued. The motorist’s insurance denied liability, claiming the cyclist had run a stop sign and did not have the right of way.
 

PAJ Forensic Engineering immediately initiated an accident reconstruction investigation, visiting the scene on the same day we were contacted. Using advanced forensic techniques, we analyzed video footage from nearby security cameras, despite the accident occurring just outside their field of view. By applying methods of triangulation and precise accident reconstruction methodologies—including speed calculations based on the bicycle’s wheel size and rotation rate—we were able to determine the cyclist’s exact position at the time of impact.

During startup after turnaround of a chemical manufacturing facility a reactor became overpressurized and explosive hydrocarbons were released into the atmosphere near several workers. The cloud of gas was ignited by running construction equipment and numerous workers were severely injured.

 

PAJ Forensic Engineering was provided the engineering report that had been developed by an established engineering firm for a consortium of plaintiff’s attorneys. Although the original engineering report contained no errors, PAJ Forensic Engineering was able to identify several code violations and failures to follow industry standard recommended practices that were not captured by the first expert. PAJ Forensic Engineering’s unique expertise in control systems and automated safety systems allowed us to add significant value to the original engineering report.

A tractor-trailer was disabled on a major interstate and pulled to the shoulder. The driver stood up in the cab and was working on tidying his truck while waiting for a tow vehicle. While doing this, another truck struck the back and side of his trailer, injuring him and destroying his trailer. The second truck’s insurance company claimed split liability and claimed the plaintiff’s truck was not fully off the roadway.

 

PAJ Forensic Engineering visited the scene of the accident the day after being contacted (several weeks after the accident) and via evidence left at the scene including debris, tire prints on the shoulder, skid marks on the highway and an interview with the responding wrecker driver was able to determine that the plaintiff’s truck was well off the highway and that the defendant was driving outside of his lane and partially on the shoulder when he struck the plaintiff’s truck.

A motorist driving on a rural highway when a large commercial truck driving in the opposite direction swerved into her lane, rolled over onto her car and trapped her inside requiring a 6 hour extrication effort. The truck driver contended that mechanical issues contributed to his loss of control.

 

PAJ Forensic Engineering surveyed the crash site and inspected both vehicles including a data download of the truck. PAJ was able to reconstruct the crash and prove that there was no mechanical failure and the crash was the result of the driver’s distracted or inattentive driving.

A motorist driving on a residential roadway at dusk and struck the back of a truck which was parked in the right lane while workers were performing services in a resident’s back yard. After striking the back of the truck, the car flipped over and the driver was severely injured.

 

PAJ Forensic Engineering surveyed the crash site and reviewed photos from the crash scene and depositions from witnesses and the driver. PAJ was able to show that the truck was parked in a no-parking zone and did not have lighting that met the minimum standards of the state transportation code. The truck crew had also neglected to employ numerous effective and affordable measures that would have mitigated the risk of someone hitting the back of the truck.

A pedestrian was crossing a multi-lane road at a marked crosswalk. A tow truck was making a left turn from the opposite direction onto the major road and struck the pedestrian in the crosswalk knocking him 38 feet and causing serious injury. The truck driver claimed that the pedestrian had run into the roadway more than a car length beyond the crosswalk.

 

PAJ Forensic Engineering visited the site of the crash and took numerous measurements, photos and videos and ran multiple tests to ascertain the timing associated with the sequence of events of the crash. Although the roadway had been resurfaced and the traffic light scheme had changed since the crash, using collected data and body cam video from the crash and reconstruction methodologies, PAJ was able to prove that the truck driver’s version of the crash was physically impossible. PAJ was able to prove that the pedestrian was, in fact, in the walkway and had the green walk light when he was struck.