MARRYING ERGONOMICS ENGINEERING APPROACHES TO ENABLE ACCIDENT RE-CONSTRUCTION ANALYSIS

摘要

This paper presents an illustration of how specific concepts and techniques drawn from Human Factors and Engineering disciplines, have been applied successfully in a number of real case-studies involving litigation and accident reconstruction. The paper reviews the approach and work undertaken by the authors in an expert witness case in support of a Defendant. The approach has also been applied successfully in Plaintiff support roles. The paper recounts how analytic and empirical approaches may be used to enable reconstruction of an accident, and how subsequently the findings may be used to support inferences and assessments to advance a case argument concerning the feasibility or otherwise of the accident events occurring as alleged. On this basis, an expert opinion may then be offered to support or dismiss the claims made by a litigating party.