Visibility Studies

At Albert G. Stoll, A Law Corporation, we carefully investigate each case we take on to help injury victims throughout the San Francisco Bay Area recover the maximum in damages to which they are entitled. One of our attorneys, Walter Haynes, is a former California Highway Patrolman and accident reconstructionist who has investigated more than 3,000 car accidents, giving us a particular understanding of the elements at play in determining fault in a motor vehicle accident.

In many cases, especially in accidents where a pedestrian or bicyclist was hit, drivers attempt to claim that the accident occurred due to an issue of limited visibility. This often results in a police investigation concluding that the victim was somehow at fault. With the use of cutting-edge visibility studies, however, our attorneys can digitally recreate the accident scene and accurately prove to the court the actual cause of virtually any accident.

What is a Visibility Study?

A visibility study is a computer-generated rendering of what a driver or witness would be able to see under conditions similar to those during the accident in question. For example, if a bus hits a pedestrian and the driver says he could not see the pedestrian, a visibility study can show what a reasonable driver would have seen under similar environmental conditions.

For a visibility study to be accurate (and therefore accepted in court), we need to know as much about the accident as possible, including:

• The locations of the vehicles and individuals in question
• The types of vehicles being driven
• The light and weather conditions
• The conditions of the roadways
• The location of any skid marks left on the road
• The location or existence of any obstructions in the roadway
• The resulting damage to vehicles or other property

The best way to obtain this information is to record as much of the available data as possible at the accident scene itself. This can include aerial photographs, photographs of the damaged vehicles, or photographs from the scene at the time of the accident reflecting weather and other mitigating conditions. The longer it has been since an accident, the more difficult it is to analyze the scene and collect the data needed to perform a visibility study, and any missing information must be estimated. Therefore, if you have been in an accident, it is critical that you contact us as soon as possible so that we can begin collecting evidence and arranging a comprehensive, accurate visibility study that will prove admissible in court.

We work with film, photography, and visibility study experts who can assist us with digitally recreating even the most unique accident scenes. To schedule a free initial consultation so that we can evaluate whether a visibility study may be helpful in your case, contact Albert G. Stoll, A Law Corporation today.