Truck Crash Lawyer Gathering Evidence Immediately Following a Trucking Accident
Evidence must be compiled for possible legal action, such as a personal injury lawsuit. The necessary proof will focus on the truck accident scene, property damage, injuries, and information about the truck driver and the trucking company. It is rare when a truck crash scene doesn’t provide enough evidence to permit investigators to ascertain what happened and who was at fault. Processing and preserving evidence at the accident scene should be done by police, sheriff’s office, or highway patrol. You, as the victim, must record what has occurred, including photos of the damage and the area, gather witness information, etc. If you have been seriously injured, then your primary, or only, focus should be healing. Your truck accident attorney will work on gathering this evidence after the fact. This demonstrates why it can be so important to retain an experienced accident lawyer as soon as possible. More on this website
* Attention to detail is an absolute obligation in protecting evidence, as it includes:
* Carefully photographing the scene of the tractor-trailer accident, including all vehicles involved
* Photographing all placards and markings on the commercial vehicle
* Personal injuries of all parties involved and the surrounding area
* Collecting and photographing physical evidence such as skid marks and crash debris
* Noting the immediate area to include sight distances, environmental conditions (foliage, weather), lighting, and any visible
* Securing police accident documents to include photographs, videos, and accident debris inventory.
* Immediately arranging to have the commercial truck inspected by an expert (where appropriate)
* Securing the commercial vehicle black box and preparing for the contained information referring to pre-and post-accident speeds and conditions to be downloaded
* Talking to witnesses and the investigating trooper or officer and recording their statements.
* If you’re too hurt to take photos or even to speak to police immediately after your semi-crash, then it’s critical that you or a family member find an experienced accident attorney who has investigated truck accidents before as quickly as possible so they can analyze your police report and start collecting necessary evidence in your case.
* Evidence from the trucking company. Beyond the evidence which has to be collected at the trucking accident scene, proof must be collected from the trucking company as well. This evidence will contain information regarding driver qualification files and documentation hours of service regulations, drug and alcohol testing the truck company has performed on the driver in the accident, and information regarding the truck load-securing depositions (recorded testimony under oath) of company personnel, including the driver maintenance records, trip inspection reports, drivers logs, and other applicable documents for the commercial vehicles information on all shippers or cargo which may share liability for the victim’s damages.
A full-blown trial on an 18-wheeler accident (while rare, as well-prepared truck crash cases often settle in serious injury or wrongful death cases) may involve an accident reconstruction performed by an expert in the field. It’s critical that none of the vehicles involved in the semi-crash is repaired before the trial, as this could prevent accurate results from being compiled. After collecting evidence from the truck accident scene and the trucking company, your accident lawyer will be in a position to determine who is at fault and litigate your claim. Even something as simple as a truck driver’s logbook can establish negligence if the semi-truck driver worked longer hours than federal law permitted. A seasoned, aggressive, and ethical accident attorney can be crucial to advancing your semi-accident claim or personal injury case.