ASA's accident reconstruction and failure analysis experts are perhaps our most frequently utilized.  One reason: Accidents, mechanical failures, and the like are common occurrences, inviting analysis and (hopefully) explanation.

We have a number of highly skilled experts who can conduct this work; they come from academic disciplines such as mechanical engineering.  All are experienced with the complex design and safety questions arising from these incidents.

Accident Reconstruction (all types)
These experts consult on virtually any type of accident.  Many are mechanical and automotive engineers with expertise in specific mechanisms or vehicles.  Among the most common types of accidents investigated are:

Automobile and Truck Accidents
Automobile versus Pedestrian ("Autoped") Accidents
Motorcycle Accidents
Boating Accidents
Train / Light Rail Accidents
Aircraft Accidents

Often, these experts have an understanding of the physical sciences (especially physics) to determine impact forces.  Some are former law enforcement investigators with training in accident reconstruction.  They review documents, scene diagrams, medical records, and other materials, applying their expertise to the specific facts of the subject accident.

Bicycle Dynamics
Bicycle experts consult on all aspects of bicycle design, safety, and operation, as well as investigate the causes and conditions of bicycle accidents.

Elevators & Escalators
A runaway elevator.  This rare (and usually impossible) scenario is one for elevator experts, who mostly deal with more mundane incidents such as elevator misleveling or sudden escalator stops.  These experts also examine design, safety, and maintenance problems.

Explosions
Experts in explosions (often chemical engineers) scrutinize all stages of these events, from ignition to detonation to the resulting conflagration.  Safety, human error, handling of materials, ignition sources -- all are analyzed by such experts.

Failure Analysis (all types)
Failure analysis can refer to the examination of many types of mechanistic or device failures.

Among the most common are machine and mechanism failures studied by mechanical engineers.  Failures of welds, metal parts, and glass are looked at by materials engineers and metallurgists.  And electrical engineers decipher the reasons behind the failures of electrical products, devices, and components.

Firearms / Ballistics
Ballistics is the study of the dynamics of projectiles (usually a bullet).  Firearms experts -- deployed regularly in criminal investigations -- draw useful conclusions about gun type, how a weapon was fired, who fired it, and the like.

Fire Cause & Origin
Fire cause and origin experts are often chemical engineers, electrical engineers, or professional fire and arson investigators trained to look for telltale signs of ignition.

They investigate all types of fires: wildland, brush, and forest fires; chemical fires; electrical fires; structure fires; machine fires; and vehicle fires.

Glass / Ceramics
Materials science and metallurgical engineers explore causes and conditions of breakage or deformity in glass, ceramics, and related materials.

Lighting (Indoor & Outdoor)
By taking careful site measurements, these experts investigate quality and quantity of lighting.  They are conversant with codes and standards for lighting in a diversity of environments.

Machine & Manufacturing Accidents

Maritime / Boating Issues
Boating experts investigate a variety of incidents, including: collision of seagoing vessels; loss of cargo; oil spills; waves and tides; maritime safety standards; and accidents involving small watercraft (e.g., Jetskis, Waverunners, and Seadoos).

Safety Engineering
Safety engineers supervise and consult on safety, health, and environmental issues in industry and government.  Many are members of the American Society of Safety Engineers.  They deal with all manner of safety issues (for example, hazardous materials shipment, safety in manufacturing, and construction site safety protocols).

Security Systems
Security experts -- often former law enforcement personnel -- consult on a range of issues: security systems; alarms; guard and patrol operations; closed-circuit television; crowd control; and crime prevention (especially in "high-crime" areas).

Slip & Fall
Engineers (frequently civil engineers) and others investigate a subset of accidents called slip and falls in which a person slips on a surface and is injured.  Measurement of the surface coefficient of friction gauges slipperiness and is followed by a comparison to standards and codes for such surfaces.

Swimming Pools
Pool experts deal not only with accidents in pools, spas, and Jacuzzis, but with broader issues of pool construction, diving board standards, safety, supervision, and maintenance.

Tire Safety & Failure
Tire experts investigate tread separation, tire defects, and other subjects pertaining to tire safety and failure.

Trip & Fall
As distinct from slip and falls, trip and fall accidents require an analysis that involves a person encountering an obstacle.  Often, the obstacle becomes the focus of the investigation; for example, in trip and falls over curbs of a nonstandard height or stairs with an uneven rise and run, human error takes a backseat to design and perspicuity issues.

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