Losing a loved one suddenly and unexpectedly is one of the most difficult things anyone could have to endure. What can make a situation like that even worse, however, is if a family does not know how their loved one died. Fortunately, the employees of the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office have taken it upon themselves to do all that they can to make sure families find closure.
The county's Collision Reconstruction Unit has begun reconstructing all car accidents that result in serious or life-threatening injuries or fatalities that occur on county roads, including single-car accidents. Even though many single-car crash cases can be closed without a reconstruction, the Sheriff's Office believes it is their job to help families understand exactly what happened to their loved one.
A full accident investigation involves collecting evidence by analyzing skid marks, photos of the wrecked car, witness statements and other relevant information. From there, the hard part begins. Officers start crunching the numbers. For example, a car's approximate speed before a crash -- as well as whether the driver braked or not -- can be determined by measuring skid marks. The process is not simple, but police officers believe it can help bring closure to grieving families.
We are lucky to live in a county in which police officers see the value of fully investigating seriouscar accidents -- even if only one vehicle was involved. Not only can the resulting information bring closure to a family, but it can also be extremely important for individuals who are considering a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit.
Source: delmarvanow.com, "Collision Reconstruction Unit brings closure to families," Vanessa Junkin, Dec. 12, 2013
