Proving That's Accidents Happen: Forensic Meteorologists

Have you ever wondered how accident attorneys can prove that you were injured by the elements? Unfortunately for those involved, courts, lawyers, and insurance adjusters do not just take the word of the victim as truth. Instead, they often hire a forensic meteorologist to investigate what happened and testify in court as an expert. You may wonder what a forensic meteorologist is and how they can affect your personal injury case. 

Imagine that you were injured in the grocery store parking lot when you slipped on wet cement during a storm. Whose fault is it? How do you prove that you really slipped instead of just throwing yourself to the ground? Once you hire a personal injury attorney, they will likely put you in touch with someone can prove your story: a forensic meteorologist. Meteorologists are professionals who study the weather. Many of these individuals work for TV networks as newscasters, though some work with insurance companies to help with cases like our example. A forensic meteorologist would look for the historic weather patterns on the day when the accident allegedly happened and then see what it was like at the time and place indicated. The results of their findings could make or break a case for people who have been injured in elemental incidents. A few examples of incidents where a forensic meteorologist may be asked to testify include but are not limited to:

Flooding

As in the aforementioned example, slippery surfaces can cause big problems. Standing water on roadways has been the source of many accidents, though it can be hard to prove on your own. Forensic meteorologists can help you to establish proof that any accident you were involved in was caused by exterior sources like flooding and not your own actions.

Wind Damage

In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy was whisked away by a tornado into the magical land of Oz. While this may be nothing more than a story, strong winds can knock people over, or blow them down. Give your insurance company more than just a story, give them the testimony of a professional. 

Ice Damage

Damages caused by ice can be hard to prove since it melts down to a puddle of water, though it was once a jagged icicle. For individuals either directly harmed by ice or who have hit ice in their vehicle and caused an accident, proving frozen temperatures is much easier to do with a forensic meteorologist. 

In conclusion, if you feel that your personal injury case could be strengthened by using a forensic meteorologist, talk to an attorney about getting in contact with one. An attorney like those at Buckley  Law Office should help you with your case.