Defective Handbrake Injury – Union Pacific Railroad Worker

This case involved a tragic incident in which a Union Pacific railroad worker—a veteran and father—was fatally injured due to a defective handbrake on a tanker car. The injury occurred as the worker attempted to prevent two railcars from colliding, an event that would result in immediate termination under strict railroad policy.

	Case Type - Defective Handbrake Injury – Union Pacific Railroad Worker
	Visual Type: Accident Reconstruction
	Results: Settled for a favorable undisclosed amount

Case Overview

Challenge

Limited quality of scan data, which was provided by railroad experts and was not up to typical standards used in accident reconstruction.

Unclear details in surveillance footage required investigative collaboration to reasonably determine the sequence of the worker’s actions.

Visual Strategy

Objective:To bridge the gap between unclear surveillance footage and a scientifically accurate, persuasive narrative that demonstrates liability and mechanism of injury.

Key Visual Strategy Components:

Clarify Ambiguous Evidence:Transform low-resolution CCTV into understandable sequences by aligning visual evidence with expert analysis.
Humanize the Incident:Recreate the actions of the worker to show his intent, efforts, and the danger he faced, helping the jury empathize with his decision-making under pressure.
Reconstruct Mechanisms of Failure:Visually explain how the slack adjuster’s malfunction rendered the handbrake inoperable and led to the injury.
Demonstrate Spatial Risk:Show the hazard posed by the track curvature and reduced clearance between cars.
Use Multi-Layered Visualization:Combine animation, physical testing, motion capture, and diagrams for a holistic, courtroom-ready visual explanation.
Build Credibility with Scientific Accuracy:Ensure each frame aligns with engineering principles, expert opinions, and physical measurements.

Our Work

Iconographics' Work

Case Visualization Deliverables:

3D Modeling:Created accurate 3D models of the railcars and environment using scan data and expert measurements.
Motion Capture:Used an Xsens suit to simulate the worker’s actions. The recorded motion was retargeted to a 3D character for precise animation of the incident.
Physical Props:Constructed dimensional lumber mockups to test the physical plausibility of various positions and actions.
Reenactment Animation:Animated the event sequence to show the worker’s efforts and how the brake failed.
Mechanism of Failure Diagrams:Illustrated how the slack adjuster should function and how it failed in this case.
Investigative Collaboration:Worked with attorneys and experts to interpret unclear surveillance footage and create a reasonable reconstruction.
High-Impact Courtroom Presentation:Delivered visuals that contributed to a favorable settlement by clearly showing systemic negligence and immediate dangers.

Results

Outcome
-The case resolved favorably for the plaintiff.

-Though the settlement amount is confidential, the attorney expressed satisfaction and emphasized the effectiveness of the visual exhibits.

-The animations and physical models demonstrated clear liability on the part of the railroad, especially considering the systemic issue with potentially thousands of similarly defective tanker cars.