Investigating and litigating traffic crashes involving one or two vehicles can often be easily accomplished by a car accident lawyer. Determining responsibility will usually come down to interviewing those involved and examining the vehicles and the scene of the crash. The issue can be far more complex in incidents involving a number of vehicles, which is why such crashes will often require what is known as an accident reconstruction.

The Principles of Accident Reconstruction
Chain reaction crashes may involve several or many cars and even different types of vehicles. They will also require intervention by auto lawyers to determine who is culpable for damages.
Reconstruction experts are trained investigators who will carefully collect as much evidence as possible in order to determine culpability. In addition to the routine procedure of interviewing drivers and witnesses, these experts will carefully examine vehicle damage, skid marks on the pavement, police reports and pictures taken at the scene of the accident.
The facts gathered by the experts will be used to determine the events leading up to the accident and how they contributed to the crash itself. Such information can prove valuable in assessing who is responsible for the cost of the injuries and damage that resulted from the crash. The best car accident attorney in town will use this information in formulating a civil case.

The Rules of Contributory and Comparative Negligence
In addition to the District of Columbia, the states of Alabama, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia employ the rule of contributory negligence. This rule is considered rigid and unfair because it prevents victims from collecting damages in accidents for which they were deemed responsible. Their responsibility can be as little as 1 percent.
Most states follow the rule of comparative negligence. California, Arizona and Alaska use the principle of pure comparative negligence, in which the degree of responsibility will affect the damages to be awarded. Other states employ a modified comparative negligence scheme, which prevents those who are at least 50 percent responsible for an accident from obtaining compensation. In Arizona, this rule is also applied in cases of driving while intoxicated. A car accident lawyer will work with others to determine the degree of responsibility in an accident.

The Quest for Justice
It will take diligent work by the best car accident attorney in town to properly establish culpability after a traffic crash. Auto lawyers will serve as both advisers and advocates throughout the legal process in order to obtain the best possible outcome in the cases they handle. This is why the victims of traffic accidents should consider contacting the Los Angeles Law Offices of Oscar H. Gutierrez at 323-999-3500.