Question By: Delta-V is a “change in velocity between pre-collision and post-collision trajectories of a vehicle.” In other words, Delta-V is a way to measure the force exerted within the vehicle when a collision or accident is taking place. Delta-V is traditionally estimated through crash reconstruction techniques, “crunching numbers”, either manually or using computer codes. However, traditional methods are limited. Crash test data can allow an engineer to determine whether a given accident had a Delta-V that was greater or less than in the crash test, but does not necessarily indicate the exact magnitude of the Delta-V.
Delta-V is critical for Investigations
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Delta-V can also be somewhat difficult to estimate in many types of collisions including sideswipes, collisions with narrow objects, and angled side impacts because of the increased number of variables introduced.
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In these cases engineers and accident reconstructionists must be even more conservative with their estimates, providing an even greater range of velocities and forces. This greater range, again increases the ambiguity that can be derived from the data.
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This inability to determine precise figures is very important because, when estimating crash severity, the more precise a Delta V that can be determined, the more precise an engineer can be in determining crash severity and injury causation. Many times with the traditional methods one cannot rule out bounded Delta-V’s with ranges of 8-10 mph.
Severe Injury Affect My Car Accident Claim
If you are badly hurt in an accident, you will need a greater amount of compensation to cover your treatment. The extent of your injury, however, is not always relevant to the damages you can receive. In any personal injury claim, the details of the accident are more important than how badly someone was harmed.
To summarize:
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Your insurance will give you a greater amount of money if you are badly hurt.
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You will pay for copays and deductibles.
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If you are at fault, you can expect to pay more for your car insurance.
At Bracamontes & Vlasak, our Oakland car accident attorneys are standing by, ready to take action to protect your rights. If you have any specific questions or concerns about the Delta-V metric used in car accidents, we are ready to help. Our firm provides car accident injury representation throughout the Bay Area, including in Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Palo Alto, and beyond.
Visit https://www.bvlawsf.com/blog/2022/08/what-is-a-delta-v-in-a-car-accident/ for more information.
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