Specializing in Visibility Analysis and Video.

Specialties & Experience of this Expert Witness

Additional Information

Paul Jacobs provides forensic photography, video and technical services for controlled event reenactments, especially as related to daytime and nighttime visibility. Paul works in collaboration with counsel, accident reconstruction, human factor, and other specialized experts to fairly and accurately reconstruct incidents for fact finding, documentation and evidentiary purposes. Paul specializes in conducting and documenting visibility studies. A visibility study is the assessment and accurate recording, processing, and presentation of still or motion images, typically of a daytime or nighttime scene. A visibility study is meant to document the ability of an event participant’s ability to visually detect a stimulus. Daytime, nighttime, and low light visibility studies use photographic, video and metric data capture of controlled tests to document scene elements impacting visibility such as: lighting, contrast, glare, occlusions, conspicuity and anomalies. Upon leaving a career in law enforcement, Paul pursued commercial photography before connecting with an established expert in the field of driver's eye visibility, video, photography and photogrammetry. For the next several years, Paul worked with numerous experts in complementary fields- conducting tests, studies, experiments, and validation of quantifiable methods of documenting visibility. An autodidact by nature, Paul is continually expanding his knowledge in the fields of visibility, imaging, accident reconstruction and human factors. Paul conducts independent testing and experimentation meant to advance the science. Paul has received hundreds of hours of training in the field of video analysis and has completed analysis on thousands of videos from sources such as: ATMs, dash cameras, body cameras, CCTV, cell phones, surveillance, and conventional cameras. Results are often shared with accident reconstructionists and biomedical experts for evaluation. Paul has provided training in video analysis to public and private entities. Paul has training and experience in the field of forensic mapping. He is also FAA certified in the operation of UAV's (drones), and routinely utilizes drones for the creation of maps, photographs and videos. Paul was lead of a team tasked with development of new capture methods used in the creation of 3D models- the result was the capture of approximately 2.2 million square feet of built area, and through the process of photogrammetry, 3D photomodels were created and their accuracy verified. Paul has attended thousands of hours of seminars, symposiums, classes and training conducted by forensic science organizations, and educational institutions. CASES WORKED: Accidents (cars, truck, tractor trailer, farm machinery and implements of husbandry, bus, cargo, train, vessel, pedestrian, bicycle, motorcycle), Slip, Trip & Fall, Wrongful Death, Police Shootings, Property Damage, Defamation, Personal Injury, Criminal, Civil Rights, Maritime, Train, Product Misrepresentation, Construction Defect, Elder Care, Wildland Fire, Structure Fire, Obstructed View. SERVICE AREA: Services are offered nationwide. Video and photo analysis work can often be completed remotely, without the necessity of a site visit. PRESENTATIONS: Paul provides introductory and advanced technical presentations to law firms and forensic science professional groups. MEMBERSHIPS: Member of the Society of Forensic Engineers and Scientists- SFES.us. Member and former editor of the California Association of Accident Reconstruction Specialists- CA2RS.org. Member of the National Association of Professional Accident Reconstruction Specialists- napars.org.