Truck accidents differ from car accidents in several important ways. The consequences are often more severe, establishing fault is often more complicated, and securing evidence is often more difficult. In this post, Bringardner Injury Law Firm discusses the most important types of evidence to preserve in a truck accident case — and how an attorney can help.
5 Key Types of Evidence To Preserve in Truck Accident Claims
Whether your accident resulted from distracted driving, driver fatigue, or one of the many other common truck accident causes, gathering evidence is the key to a successful claim. Below are five types of evidence to preserve in a truck accident case.
1. Accident Scene Evidence
Start documenting your claim at the accident scene if possible. Photograph or record the vehicles involved, including their position and any damage. Also, try to get footage of the intersection, traffic signals, road and weather conditions, and anything else that may help with accident reconstruction later.Â
2. Witness Statements
Ask for the contact information of anyone at the scene who saw the collision. This helps your legal team conduct interviews while the events are still fresh in their minds. Your attorney should also seek other corroborating evidence, like 911 calls, surveillance footage and dashcam video from other vehicles.
3. Vehicle and Cargo Records
A host of documentation accompanies commercial transportation logistics. Evidence that may be useful in your legal case includes the vehicle maintenance records, the truck’s mechanical history, cargo delivery documents, bills of lading, and weight tickets. One of the most critical pieces of evidence is the truck’s black box or Electronic Control Module (ECM), which records key data around the time of an accident.Â
4. Driver Documentation
The attorneys at Bringardner Injury Law Firm will help you collect information about the truck driver’s experience and background. This includes their licensure, training file, log books, medical records, driving history, and compliance with federal hours-of-service regulations. Your legal team may also inspect the truck with the help of expert witnesses, interview witnesses, and seek camera footage inside the truck’s cab.
5. Truck Company Documents
Another important type of evidence to preserve in a truck accident is trucking company documents. These can help your attorney understand the company’s day-to-day actions and identify any patterns of unsafe practices. These documents may include the following:
- Training manuals
- Safety policiesÂ
- Trucker logs
- Dispatch records
- Annual reports
- Communications with the driver
How To Preserve Evidence in a Truck Accident Claim
Even if you know what types of evidence to preserve in a truck accident, it’s not always easy to do. Like all accidents, gathering evidence in a truck accident is an urgent task. Skid marks and crash debris can disappear, log book violations can go missing, and vehicles can be repaired or replaced.
In truck accident cases, many forms of evidence belong to the trucking company, which may be reluctant to give it up. Without a court order, they likely won’t hand over their driver records, black box data, or training manuals.Â
The experienced truck accident attorneys at Bringardner Injury Law Firm can help you with evidence preservation and collection. In fact, we will take care of the entire investigation if we take your case. Your legal team will conduct a thorough truck accident investigation by doing the following:
- Documenting the accident scene, including taking photos and preserving physical evidence
- Hiring consultants, such as medical professionals and accident reconstructionists
- Securing police reports
- Gathering electronic data, such as black box records
- Reviewing insurance policies
- Collecting other documentation from the trucking company
- Interviewing other drivers and witnesses
- And much more
Need Help With Evidence for Your Truck Accident Claim? Call Us Today!
Mark Bringardner and his team are experienced truck accident lawyers. They will gather and preserve the evidence on your behalf to ensure that your rights are protected, and you receive the maximum compensation for your pain and suffering.
Contact one of the experienced truck accident lawyers at Bringardner Injury Law Firm today. Call 843-380-5299 or contact us online for a free consultation.