Given the active winters in the Northeast over the past few years, there have been plenty of resulting slip-and-fall claims. Of course, with any of these claims, researching the weather at the time of the incident is key. Was it snowing? Were there residual snow piles from previous events? Was melt and refreeze possible? While there is free weather data available online, the answers to your specific questions may not be as simple as just finding raw temperature and precipitation data. But where do you turn?
Hiring a forensic meteorologist for your case may just be the answer you need. Most forensic meteorologists have at least a Bachelor of Science degree in meteorology/atmospheric science and thus, have the expertise to investigate and identify the important weather-related details pertinent to your case. Besides providing basic information such as snow and/or ice accumulation or the start time of wintry precipitation, they also know to research specific factors that may not be as evident. For example, forensic meteorologists utilize programs like GIS to reconstruct the exact accident scene to learn if nearby buildings could have provided shading or if the slip-and-fall site had full exposure to the Sun. This proves to be very useful in determining whether ground surface temperatures could have been colder or warmer than the air temperature. In addition, forensic meteorologists can determine if any National Weather Service watches and/or warnings were in place at the time of the incident.
With up to 30 years of experience, the WeatherWorks forensic team has successfully worked with law firms, both plaintiff and defense, and insurance companies. Our most experienced team members have been designated Certified Consulting Meteorologists (CCM) by the American Meteorological Society. Members of the forensic team can also serve as an expert witness in court, arbitration hearings and depositions. For more information on requesting a WeatherWorks Forensic Meteorologist, visit our website or contact Sam DeAlba, Meteorologist and Director of Forensic/Data Services.
