The Psychology of Truck Accident Reconstruction: Making Complex Evidence Understandable
Truck accidents are known for creating a massive amount of evidence, much of it incredibly technical in nature—braking patterns, mechanical errors, hours-of-service regulations, and cargo physics, to name a few examples. While this data is important for proving liability and reconstructing an accident, it doesn’t go very far when it comes to convincing a jury that a victim has been wronged and that the trucking company must be held accountable.
Choosing the right truck accident law firm is important. A firm that can both understand technical evidence and use it to craft a compelling narrative can give you a stronger chance at fair compensation. Reach out to Soroka & Associates to find out how our firm can advocate for you as you recover.
Challenges of technical evidence
If you read the transcript of any truck accident case that makes it to court, you’ll find a shocking amount of technical evidence, from speed logs and Event Data Recorder information to GPS locations and in-depth explanations of physics. These facts are an important part of explaining the mechanics of a case, but they are also overwhelming for the average jury member.
Most jury members aren’t accident reconstruction experts, nor are they engineers or even particularly adept at math. Evidence presented in a highly technical manner may seem abstract, especially if it isn’t tied directly to the human cost of the accident.
Understanding the psychology behind jury decision-making
Psychologists have spent a lot of time studying how juries make their decisions, from how they judge plaintiffs and defendants to how they interpret evidence and respond to it emotionally. Jurors generally process information in a way that goes beyond numbers and facts. They look at emotional cues, the story behind the data, and the fallout of the data they’re seeing in front of them.
One issue that comes up a lot in these cases is cognitive overload. Jurors overwhelmed with technical jargon, data, and explanations beyond their understanding tend to shut down entirely. At some point, they stop trying to keep up with the evidence being shown to them, and they just wait for the trial to be over. This is why explaining more isn’t always the answer; sometimes it’s a matter of explaining in a more straightforward way that connects with jurors emotionally.
Using visuals to simplify complex evidence
Truck accident attorneys often rely on strong visuals to strengthen their cases and make information more digestible for juries. People tend to process visual information more quickly and effectively than long verbal or written explanations. Diagrams, charts, animations, and videos can all go a long way in getting a jury to understand what happened.
This is why accident reconstruction experts so frequently use simulations to explain what their investigation uncovered. As jurors watch a video simulation of how the crash allegedly happened, the reconstruction expert can fill in the gaps with some of the more technical information needed to support your case against the other driver.
Infographics can also make information easier to understand, particularly when you’re talking about long lists of numbers that can quickly overwhelm jurors—for example, speed, braking distance, and impact force. An infographic that jurors can refer back to, compare with other information, and revisit as needed is a lot easier to take in than numbers rattled off at them verbally.
The power of storytelling in building a case
Beyond the numbers and the how, when, and why of a crash lie one or more victims whose lives have been changed by a negligent driver. When you choose an attorney who can weave technical evidence into an emotional narrative, you benefit from a stronger case and a better connection with jurors.
Rather than focusing on the raw technical data of a crash—speeds, locations, dollar amounts—a strong case also looks at how the humans involved in the accident have suffered. It explains how a mother struck by a fatigued truck driver has had to hire in-home help with her young children because she can no longer bend over enough to pick her baby up from his crib. It talks about the financial devastation of a father who has permanently lost his ability to work because of a careless driver. It looks at how a family has been changed overnight when one member was catastrophically injured and needed around-the-clock care from the moment they arrived home. These are the parts of a case that stick with jurors when they go back to deliberate.
Engaging jurors
Your lawyer may lean on a number of psychological principles to better engage jurors. The way information is presented is just as important as the information itself. By framing the numbers and scientific facts from your case in the context of how those facts relate to your life, your lawyer makes the entire case more compelling. They may also use the primacy effect, which is a cognitive bias. People are more likely to remember the first pieces of information presented, so your lawyer may lead with the most impactful and memorable to benefit from that. Your lawyer may also use repetition to drive home the important facts of your case. Jurors tend to remember information presented early and recently, but repetition can also help to reinforce the importance of key facts.
Fight for justice with Soroka & Associates
We understand the stress you’re facing as you recover from your truck accident. Let us work on building the strongest and most engaging case possible while you concentrate on your physical and emotional recovery. Reach out online or call us to get started.