At-scene Investigation

We were a registered emergency service, responding to accidents with the same powers and limitations as any other emergency service. The decision to so empower us rests heavily on the understanding of the importance of evidence and our contribution to the course of law. We exercise this right on a 24/7 basis to ensure that we arrive at accident scenes within minimum time, thereby preventing unnecessary loss of life (through first aid). We prevent contamination of evidence and the escape of drivers under the influence of intoxicating substances. We fight for your right to receive proof of the evidence – “All the evidence.” We will photograph, document, measure, record, collect and analyze all relevant physical evidence that may be found at accident scenes.

Our ability to analyze light bulbs for on/off status at the time of accidents, the status of seatbelt use, the failure cause of tyres and occupant kinematics enable us to properly identify record and document relative aspects of accident evidence. We are only too aware of the limitations in the abilities of police and/or traffic officers to properly interpret, analyze, record and investigate accident scenes in South Africa. This is why we have been chosen to train law enforcement officers in our field. We are very willing to share our knowledge. When we respond to accident scenes to investigate them, we employ cutting-edge technology to ensure that we miss nothing. The image on the left is an example of a photograph taken at night with our special digital camera, capable of recording up to 1,200 images directly to a Write-once mini CD-R disk. This enables us to record and document evidence under some of the most challenging conditions. To date, we have taken over 500,000 photographs. We get “All the evidence…”

First Aid Assistance

When we attend serious accidents, we are often the first entity present. Due to this, we commit to providing immediate emergency medical first aid care. Ofen, we are left with the task of stabilizing multiple patients while we await the arrival of other emergency services and/or medical units. Our skills at this have been honed at thousands of accident scenes, often forcing us to render assitance to as many as sizteen injured parties while awaiting the arrival of paramedic and ambulance personnel. Although we do not administer drugs, we have treated numerous seriously and often critical patients successfully. We pride ourselves on our commitment to public safety and ability to assist at a moment's notice. We care.

At-scene Investigation Reports

Preliminary Reconstruction Reports

Upon request, we may also produce what we call a “Preliminary Accident Reconstruction Report.” Often, our clients require a basic report, just to establish what happened. We urge our clients not to expect a report that will specifically refer to either “wrong” or “right,” as it relates to an accident reconstruction. This report is designed specifically with the facts and basic calculations in mind, for a client to approach his/her attorney and establish whether a full-blown reconstruction might be deemed necessary.

Forensic Accident Reconstruction

When we do a full-blown Forensic Accident Reconstruction, nothing is overlooked, no aspect of the accident scene is left to chance and all our calculations are shown – ready for presentation in court. We do not reconstruct every accident fully. Sometimes, the relevant facts are so obvious (like a tyre blow-out) that a reconstruction might be considered overkill. Yet, we often do not know what level of engagement is necessary until someone makes an allegation or a claim. Often, we are not aware of the implications of an accident until some time thereafter. Then we need to have all the evidence on tap. For our purposes there is a world’s difference between photographs of an accident and photographs of the evidence. Without a sound base of reference, i.e. a proper investigation and many usable photographs, reconstruction can become guess-work. This is also why we prefer to train our clients to investigate their own accidents properly.

Training

When we train our clients, we allow a maximum of ten students. This enables us to focus on each individual while not moving too slowly. We are also able to discuss cases individually, answer all questions and assist students with areas they may find challenging. Our clients receive training from us at a mutually agreed location, close to or at their work-place.

We believe in empowering our clients with the knowledge to be able to examine, investigate, record and sketch their own accidents, without the need to call us out. This enables them to ensure that the accident will always be properly investigated – even in the unfortunate event of us being unavailable, or of the accident happening too far away for us to attend immediately.

Animation

Without the luxury of animation, the presentation of a particular train of events in court would be most challenging. Terms such as yaw, super-elevation, vault, restitution and Delta-V mean very little to the uninitiated – and in court, we want everybody to see clearly what we are trying to present. To this end, we specialize in accident animation as a natural part of reconstruction. Our special software enables us to include all elements, including weather conditions, sun position, lighting challenges and even pedestrian actions and kinematics. We strive to re-create the scene in living color, in order to effectively express our findings. Through the advanced animations we are able to produce, we are able to present our evidence in visual format, assisting courts in their understanding of the complicated physics associated with accident reconstruction.

3-D Modeling

As a matter of course, we might embark on an advanced investigation into the crush elements of a particular accident, or reconstruction. This might involve complicated elements of interaction between various vehicle models, and the resultant damage to them. To this end, we are unable to bring the actual wreck to the court-room, or to re-examine whenever we feel like it. Often vehicles are repaired or crushed after an accident, essentially destroying all crush element evidence. Whenever we deal with complicated crush investigation cases, we prefer to render an accurate 3-D model. Our special digital cameras are specifically calibrated to our software, enabling us to render accurate (sub-centimeter) 3D models from photographs through a process called Photogrammetry. This enables us to bring the damage model to court, to make measurements from it, and to re-examine the crush elements as many times as we please. The software we own was also applied in the renowned Princess of Wales investigation by a company called Knott Laboratories.

Breathalyzer testing

We carry Dräger breath sampling equipment on our vehicles. The equipment is applied whenever there is a suspicion of alcohol use or abuse at an accident scene. Our tests are always conducted in the presence of a witness or on request of a Law Enforcement Officer. Our instruments enable us to rapidly screen drivers or even pedestrians for the presence of alcohol, in order to establish grounds for arrest and further testing. Our tests and observations have resulted in over 500 arrests in the past. We strive to make the message very clear – we do not support drunken driving.

Court Testimony

No investigation, reconstruction or recording would be worth anything if it could not stand up in court. Having testified in Criminal, Civil and High-court, we understand the needs, requirements, rules, protocols and expectations of court proceedings. We know what to expect and we know how to handle ourselves with integrity, professionalism and restraint. Whenever you are in the “bench,” it is the particular interest of an opposing attorney or advocate to force you to falter, to make mistakes and/or to contradict yourself. This places doubt on your testimony and strengthens an opposing party’s case. We prefer to remain detached, impartial and indefatigable in our testimony. Through this attitude, we are able to remain calm, to present the facts as they are, and to give evidence only to what we know – and to everything we know. To reiterate – we are not hired guns. We do not help affect any particular outcome in the case. We are the advocates of truth, fact, scientific evidence and accurate representation. Nothing more and nothing less…

Membership

We strive to give our clients peace of mind – whether they are concerned about their bottom-line, their assets, their investments or their families. People have different sets of values and different expectations as to their needs in the event of a loss resulting from an accident. A mother might mourn the loss of a child, a man the loss of a beloved spouse, a teenager the loss of his prized motorcycle; a company the loss of an asset, or insurance companies their financial loss. No matter what the loss suffered – where accidents are concerned, they are never planned. This is why they are called accidents. They happen without warning.

Air Ambulance Service

Whenever there is any serious road accident-related or other critical injury involving an employee from your company, a patient with medical aid, one with an unlimited claim from the Road Accident Fund or ANY other person covered by an Injury On Duty claim, we are able to mobilize an air ambulance to ensure that that patient is transported or relocated to the medical care facility best qualified to handle or deal with that particular injury with minimum delay. Whether that patient needs to be transported directly from an accident scene or from a temporary care facility, our fleet of aircraft will be available to ensure expedited transport to the required care facility - anytime, anywhere. The greatest benefit is that – under these conditions, no financial responsibility is carried by the patient or the employer.

All we need is your call…