Although we are still months away from the winter season, slip and falls and other accidents related to snow and ice are still being investigated by many attorneys. When these types of accidents occur, law firms and insurance companies reach out to expert forensic meteorologists for assistance. But how are forensic meteorologists useful? These scientists actually research and reconstruct the weather conditions during and prior to the day of an incident to determine if Mother Nature had a role in the claim or accident in question. The forensic meteorologists at WeatherWorks write up reports on a daily basis which primarily focus on slip and falls, but also include cases connected to roof collapses, flood/wind damage (including Hurricane Sandy), auto accidents and lightning injuries, just to name a few.
For slip and fall incidents, forensic meteorologists use their expertise to determine the likelihood of snow and/or ice during a particular time. This goes a step further than just reiterating archived weather observations. The meteorologists think outside the box when researching weather conditions during and prior to an incident to determine critical factors. One such factor is the type of surface on which the slip and fall took place. While this may not seem important, to a forensic meteorologist it is key. Knowing that an accident occurred on an exposed blacktop surface verses a shaded sidewalk can have large implications on melt and refreeze cycles.
Structural damage from heavy snow is another instance where forensic meteorologists must look beyond prevailing weather conditions. While one may believe the snow depth at the time of incident would be sufficient to explain a roof collapse, a forensic meteorologist's investigation goes much more in depth. We research and account for every wintry precipitation event and the temperatures leading up to the collapse to determine the liquid water equivalency of the snow pack. This is imperative when calculating the stress upon the roof and will go a long way in helping the engineers involved with the case.
This is just a glimpse of the fascinating work the team of forensic meteorologists at WeatherWorks are involved in on a daily basis. If you are ever in a situation where a report from a forensic meteorologist may benefit you, contact our forensic team by sending them an email at forensic@weatherworksinc.com for more information.
