Crash Data Retrieval / Black Box Expert Witnesses: 4

4CA Consulting & Reconstruction is a General Accident Reconstruction Company, providing Expert Services in the field of Accident Reconstruction, including:

• A complete an unbiased accident investigation, using the latest investigative means such as Crash Data Retrieval & Analysis.
• Crash Scene Analysis and Documentation: Vehicles, light trucks, motorcycles.
• Seat Belts and Child Safety-Seats usage analysis
• Occupant injury kinematics, speed determination, time - distance, drag factor with use of Vericom Vehicle Computer System.
• Traffic Studies.
• Crash Animation / Simulation, Map scenes, Crash Zone, CAD.

About Kevin Forcier: ACTAR Certified Reconstructionist: #2054. Retired from the Pennsylvania State Police in April of 2010 after 25 years of service. Accident Reconstructionist since 1990, last four years as a full time Crash Analysis and Reconstruction Specialist responsible for the coverage of 3300 square miles of Northwestern Pennsylvania. Qualified Expert Witness in the field of Crash Reconstruction and related services.

Inside the Box, LLC is an Automotive Crash Data Retrieval company which caters to the legal community. Their certified technicians use state of the art equipment to download crash data and keep it safe in their secure servers. Their technicians are able to download the data from vehicles that have been repaired and vehicles that have been damaged beyond repair. 

Litigation Support - If secured early, the black box data can be used to help evaluate the value of a case and validate a client’s claims. During the litigation process, opposing viewpoints, such as those regarding liability or accident severity, can be evaluated by referring to the crash data. The black box data can also be a valuable tool during settlement negotiations.

Often, at this stage, the involved vehicles have been scrapped or sold and the black box data can no longer be retrieved. This can cost thousands of dollars to be added to the cost of a reconstruction by having to rely solely on traditional accident reconstruction methods. The black box data, if secured early, can be made available to an accident reconstructionist, at a later date, simplifying the reconstruction process.   

A vehicle’s black box, or Event Data Recorder (EDR), contains critical information useful to evaluate a case. The crash pulse data provides information regarding the impact. Speed and acceleration time histories provide insight into the severity of the impact. The black box also stores five seconds of pre-impact data, such as Pre-impact Speed, Brake Usage, Steering Data, Seat Belt Usage, and more.  

Services

• Tier 1:  Report Only - Includes download of the black box data, secure storage of the report and a secure link to download the report. Basic photographs of the vehicle and the download setup will be taken. The report and photographs will be available, securely, for one month, following the download.  
• Tier 2:  Report Plus Photographs - The black box data will be downloaded and stored securely. Detailed photographs of the vehicle exterior and interior will be included and also uploaded to the secure server and made available for one month following the download.
• Tier 3.  Report, Photographs, and Measurements - The black box data will be downloaded. The vehicle will be photographed and documented.  Standard vehicle measurements which will be useful for an accident reconstruction will also be recorded. The data, the photographs and measurements will be available, securely, for one month following the download.
• Report Interpretation: The data contained in a black box can be confusing to those not versed in accident reconstruction. A short explanatory report is offered which translates the EDR report into plain English. This report is not an accident reconstruction, but rather, a straightforward explanation of what is being reported by the EDR. 

**Inside the Box, LLC does not perform Accident Reconstruction or Biomechanical services.

• Locus Reports
• Personal Injury Photography Reports

• Interpretation
• Translation
• Witness Statements
• Document sign up service

Kristopher J. Seluga, PE, is a Mechanical Engineering, Accident Reconstruction, Biomechanics, and Safety Expert with over 20 years of experience. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Mechanical Engineering department at MIT where he worked on the development of novel three-dimensional printing technologies.

Mr. Seluga is also a licensed Professional Engineer in New York and Connecticut, and has served as a member of the ANSI engineering committee for the Z130.1 and Z135 standards for golf cars and PTV’s. His research interests and peer reviewed publications span the topics of Motor Vehicle Dynamics, Product Safety, and Biomechanics.

Litigation Support - Mr. Seluga has been working as a forensic engineer at Technology Associates since 2001. He has investigated 100s of accidents for both plaintiffs and defendants. Mr. Seluga has been qualified to testify as an expert in state and federal court and is experienced in testifying in depositions and trials. He has successfully defeated Daubert / Frye challenges and can prepare and explain compelling exhibits at trial.

Areas of Expertise: