Automotive Engineering Expert Witnesses: 3

Inside the Box, LLC is an Automotive Crash Data Retrieval company which caters to the legal community. Their certified technicians use state of the art equipment to download crash data and keep it safe in their secure servers. Their technicians are able to download the data from vehicles that have been repaired and vehicles that have been damaged beyond repair. 

Litigation Support - If secured early, the black box data can be used to help evaluate the value of a case and validate a client’s claims. During the litigation process, opposing viewpoints, such as those regarding liability or accident severity, can be evaluated by referring to the crash data. The black box data can also be a valuable tool during settlement negotiations.

Often, at this stage, the involved vehicles have been scrapped or sold and the black box data can no longer be retrieved. This can cost thousands of dollars to be added to the cost of a reconstruction by having to rely solely on traditional accident reconstruction methods. The black box data, if secured early, can be made available to an accident reconstructionist, at a later date, simplifying the reconstruction process.   

A vehicle’s black box, or Event Data Recorder (EDR), contains critical information useful to evaluate a case. The crash pulse data provides information regarding the impact. Speed and acceleration time histories provide insight into the severity of the impact. The black box also stores five seconds of pre-impact data, such as Pre-impact Speed, Brake Usage, Steering Data, Seat Belt Usage, and more.  

Services

• Tier 1:  Report Only - Includes download of the black box data, secure storage of the report and a secure link to download the report. Basic photographs of the vehicle and the download setup will be taken. The report and photographs will be available, securely, for one month, following the download.  
• Tier 2:  Report Plus Photographs - The black box data will be downloaded and stored securely. Detailed photographs of the vehicle exterior and interior will be included and also uploaded to the secure server and made available for one month following the download.
• Tier 3.  Report, Photographs, and Measurements - The black box data will be downloaded. The vehicle will be photographed and documented.  Standard vehicle measurements which will be useful for an accident reconstruction will also be recorded. The data, the photographs and measurements will be available, securely, for one month following the download.
• Report Interpretation: The data contained in a black box can be confusing to those not versed in accident reconstruction. A short explanatory report is offered which translates the EDR report into plain English. This report is not an accident reconstruction, but rather, a straightforward explanation of what is being reported by the EDR. 

**Inside the Box, LLC does not perform Accident Reconstruction or Biomechanical services.

• Locus Reports
• Personal Injury Photography Reports

• Interpretation
• Translation
• Witness Statements
• Document sign up service

Dr. Kanellakopoulos is a technology leader with 25+ years of experience in R&D and engineering management in both academia (former UCLA Professor of Electrical Engineering) and industry, and a seasoned expert witness with a perfect success record.

He has designed and built telecom products such as DSL and Carrier Ethernet hardware and software, as well as a prototype fully automated electric vehicle. He has conducted applied research in adaptive control of nonlinear systems, with applications to automotive driver assistance systems (adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, vehicle collision avoidance) and active suspensions. He has significant experience with international telecommunication standards (ITU-T SG15/Q4), and has directed collaborative projects with several automotive/truck manufacturers and vendors (Ford, Mercedes-Benz, DaimlerChrysler, Freightliner, Gentex, Visteon).

He has significant experience as an expert witness in patent infringement (including IPR) and product liability cases in the automotive and telecommunication areas; the vast majority of his cases have resulted in a win or a very favorable settlement for his clients. In 2017, he was the lead expert witness in a product liability case against Nissan that resulted in a $25M jury award for his clients; this decision was later upheld on appeal. His deep technical expertise allows him to analyze patents and products in detail, and explain clearly (in expert reports, depositions, and court testimony) the main issues that the judge and jury need to internalize in order to comprehend the essence of the case.  His extensive educational experience allows him to help judges and jurors understand the topic they are dealing with, instead of confusing them with unnecessary technical details.

After all, it takes excellent teaching skills and a deep understanding of a complex technical concept to convey the essence of that concept to non-experts without talking down to them.

View Dr. Kanellakopoulos's Consulting Profile.