Evidence You Should Preserve after a Truck Accident

If you’re planning to file a personal injury claim after a large truck crash, the success of your case will likely depend on many different factors. While the complexity of your case, the number of parties involved, and your personal degree of liability will all play a role, the strength of your evidence will likely have the biggest impact on how your case unfolds.

Let’s look at a few types of evidence you might need to support your claim:

1. Photos of the Accident Scene

You’ve heard that a picture is worth a thousand words; in a personal injury claim, these snapshots can often be worth thousands of dollars. If you’ve been thorough in documenting the scene, an accident reconstructionist may be able to use the pictures you’ve taken to piece together what happened. As such, you should save any photos you’ve taken in a safe place—such as uploading them to a safe and secure cloud server—ready to share with your attorney during your first meeting.

2. Black Box Data

Most commercial trucks are outfitted with event data recorders, or “black boxes”, that track variables such as brake application, speed, and seatbelt usage. This information can provide a window into the driver’s activities in the moments before impact, potentially helping you prove liability. For instance, if the truck driver was speeding just before the accident or failed to apply their brakes as they approached an intersection, this data could help demonstrate fault.

3. Driver’s Logs

Truck drivers and their employers are required to comply with hours-of-service laws that limit how long a driver can be on the road before they must take a break. These rules are intended to prevent anyone from driving while drowsy or fatigued, reducing the risk of accidents. However, whether it’s to meet quotas or expedite trips, there are those who violate these laws. Fortunately, as drivers are required to keep logs of their time on the road, these records will help show whether they were adhering to the hours of service.

4. Medical Records

In almost every personal injury claim, medical records will play a crucial role throughout proceedings. You should save copies of any associated documentation to share with your attorney, including invoices you received from your healthcare provider and/or insurer.

5. Eyewitness Testimony

Whether it was another driver, pedestrian, or passenger, anyone in the area who saw what happened leading up to the accident may be able to provide testimony to help support your claim. However, eyewitness accounts can become less reliable as time passes so it’s important to take down these statements as soon as possible.

Discuss Your Case with a Texas Truck Accident Attorney

Were you seriously injured in a large truck crash? Turn to the legal team at Hilliard Law. With decades of collective experience representing accident victims, we have the knowledge, resources, and experience to assist with almost every aspect of your case. Dial 1-800-334-3298 or submit our contact form HERE to schedule a free case review with a Texas truck accident attorney.