H+A conducted a full-scale test, simulating the effect of the collision on the vehicle’s front license plate.
On June 13, 2016, Karolyn Paradise was driving her vehicle behind the Toyota 4Runner of Jay Jones, age 39, who was stopping in traffic. Paradise failed to stop her vehicle before the front bumper contacted the rear of Jones’ vehicle. The contact resulted in “non-reportable damage” in subsequent police reports. Post-collision photos indicated no damage to the rear of Jones’ vehicle, and only minor denting of the front license plate on the Defendant’s vehicle. Jones maintained that, as a result of the crash, he sustained neck and lower back injuries that were consistent with a high-speed rear end collision of 42 mph, based on his analysis of the dent to Ms. Paradise’s license plate.
When Mr. Jones filed suit against Ms. Paradise, Hayes+Associates, Inc. was retained by attorney Kenneth R. Scearce of Goehler & Associates on behalf of the Defendant. Former H+A Associate, Matthew A. Soicher, Ph.D., conducted a physics-based analysis of the collision, concluding that the speed was less than 5 mph, and thus far below thresholds necessary to cause the injuries Mr. Jones was claiming.
Given the disparity between H+A’s and Mr. Jones’ estimates of speed, prior to trial, H+A Associate, Kristen E. Lipscomb, Ph.D. (https://www.hayesassoc.com/welcome/#our-team-section) and H+A founder, Wilson C. “Toby” Hayes, Ph.D., conducted full scale tests (see Figure) of an exemplar bumper and license plate to show that Mr. Jones had grossly overestimated the collision force and speed. Moreover, based on the test results, the actual speed of the collision was quite close to the H+A estimate.
Ms. Paradise was represented at trial by attorney Barry J. Goehler. The case was venued in Pierce County Superior Court in Tacoma, WA. As the last witness for the Defense, Dr. Hayes’ testimony, in keeping with the H+A findings, contributed to a Defense verdict in favor of Ms. Paradise.
Hayes+Associates, Inc. (https://www.hayesassoc.com) is an expert witness and consulting firm based in Corvallis, OR. The company brings more than 75 years of collective experience in academic research, university teaching and forensic testimony to practice areas that include vehicle collisions, premises safety, slips and falls, products liability, worker safety, sports and recreation, patent litigation and criminal matters.