The cost of medical bills and vehicle damage, not to mention lost wages and disability, that comes from a collision with a big rig can be astronomically high. Since such a large compensation is being sought, trucking companies will fight hard for the case to be dismissed.
A team of good attorneys will meticulously review police reports, photos from the accident scene, driver logs, and other important evidence. They will also go over witness statements and re-interview witnesses if necessary.
The majority of personal injury cases are settled out of court. But first, you must prove your case to the insurance companies before they agree to pay you what you’re owed.
Following a truck accident, you might be unsure how to proceed. The right law firm will walk you through, step-by-step, their investigation into how the collision occurred.
Importance of a Proper Investigation
You and your attorney will need to prove that the defendant’s negligence resulted in your injuries. And since multiple parties could have contributed to your accident, your case might be more complex, another reason a legal firm will want to begin a thorough investigation as soon as possible.
Ideally, an injury attorney will be able to view the scene of the collision soon after it occurs, before the police have cleared the scene. If your attorney can recreate the accident scene they can describe the behavior of each vehicle at the time of the accident.
From looking at the evidence, a good investigator can determine whether the semi-truck was speeding, tailgating, or failed to yield the right of way at an intersection. Was the driver qualified, or was the truck properly maintained? Was the cargo within the trailer properly secured? Were other vehicles at fault, and did weather play a factor in causing the accident?
Steps of a Trucking Accident Investigation
- Collecting Evidence: Documenting the crash site by taking photographs and videos of the damage to vehicles and nearby structures.
- Interviewing Witnesses: Identifying and interviewing those involved in the accident, including first responders.
- Examining the Trucking Company and the Driver: Inspecting the driver’s logs, their personnel file, and driving record to find potential safety violations.
- Finding and Analyzing the Truck’s Data Recorder: This is commonly referred to as the truck’s black box, which records the behavior of the truck.
- Examining the Truck: This can determine whether any of the truck’s equipment was defective or whether the truck was secured or loaded properly.
- Consulting Experts: A good attorney will contact medical providers, crash reconstruction experts, lady bird deed michigan black box specialists, life care providers, and toxicologists to help build a case.
What Happens First?
The quicker an attorney can begin an investigation, the better the evidence they can collect.
Law enforcement officials should first take statements from witnesses and investigate the accident by taking photographs and reconstructing the accident. But quite often, this doesn’t happen.
An attorney who is immediately notified can secure witness statements and other valuable evidence and then notify those involved that a lawsuit is in progress.
Immediately after an accident, while you might be injured and taken to the hospital, a truck driver will be calling his dispatcher, who will then notify the trucking company’s attorneys and accident reconstruction experts.
They can be on the scene quickly to gather their own evidence, coach the driver, and create their own narrative of how the accident occurred.
Too often victims of a truck accident wait for the police to send them a report, only to find once they receive it that it lacks the information they need for their case. An attorney can request and obtain a police report almost immediately.
Choosing an experienced truck accident legal team affords you the use of every possible resource to win your case.
Have You Been Injured In A Texas Truck Accident?
If you've been hurt in a Texas truck accident you need to speak with an experienced truck accident lawyer as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our Colleyville office directly at 817.485.8888 to schedule your free consultation.