How 3D Printing Can Help in Personal Injury Cases
New technology can help in a wide variety of fields, and the legal field is no different. Forward-thinking law firms are always on the lookout for new technology that can help them advocate for the rights of their injured clients. In recent times, 3D printing has been used more commonly by personal injury lawyers in Salina and across the U.S. to help prove their clients’ claims. If you were injured and believe that another party was to blame, it is critical to have an injury attorney who will do what it takes to obtain compensation for your losses.
What is 3D Printing?
Also called additive printing, 3D printing is a process of turning a digital file or design into a three-dimensional object. Using special software, printers lay down many layers of material to compose these objects, which uses less material than would traditional manufacturing processes.
3D printing can be used to make functional products, as well as models for demonstrations. Some examples of 3D printed items include:
- Prosthetics
- Furniture
- Eyewear
- Dental products
- Manufacturing tools
- Product prototypes
- Household items and tools
- Collector models and figurines
Some 3D prints are meant to be used repeatedly for some time, while others serve a single-use and specialized purpose.
3D Prints in Court
3D printing is often used to reconstruct something – such as an artifact or fossil – or to allow people to hold and examine something that they generally would not be able to. Legal professionals have started using this technology in different types of cases. For example, forensic pathologists and prosecutors might use 3D printing to recreate evidence to seek a criminal conviction if that evidence is no longer intact or available.
In the personal injury practice area, lawyers might utilize 3D printing to help prove a claim in court. Once a case goes to trial, your lawyer must convince the jury not only of who caused your accident, but also of the severity of your injuries. The more severe the jury believes your injuries were, the greater damages they might award for pain and suffering and other non-economic losses. 3D printing can help with this.
Imagine that a plaintiff shattered their wrist in a car crash. A broken wrist might not seem all that serious to a jury – after all, people fracture their wrists all the time. However, if the jury is presented with a 3D model of the wrist with numerous fractures and pins, plates, and screws inserted, the jury can compare that severely injured wrist with a model of a healthy wrist. This can be a powerful tool when demonstrating the severity of an injury.
Contact Our Salina Personal Injury Lawyers for Help
At the law firm of Neustrom & Associates, our Salina personal injury attorneys find effective ways of proving our clients’ injuries and claims. If you would like to discuss a possible case, please call 785-825-1505 or reach out online for your free consultation. We look forward to evaluating your rights and handling the legal process for you and your family.