Preserving Evidence after a Truck Accident

Following an accident, it can be challenging to know what to do. But being proactive will increase the chances of winning a settlement. 

One proactive action is the preservation of evidence that would assist you with your case. Read below to learn more from a good West Houston big rig crash attorney about crucial evidence that can be crucial for your truck wreck claim. 

Evidence of the Truck Crash

Compared to regular car accidents, incidents with 18-wheelers can lead to more substantial evidence. The reason is the strict regulations placed on the trucking industry by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. 

This evidence could help to support your case if the driver violated any of the FMCSA rules. The evidence you might seek include:

• Driver Logs: The FMCSA requires big truck drivers to abide by Hours of Service that specify when an operator can drive and for how long. To ensure they comply, drivers also must have logs of their hours. They can record these with Electronic Logging Devices, which are on-board computers with internal logs. A violation of these regulations could potentially cause an accident, considering overworked drivers are often battling fatigue. While drowsy driving can be challenging to prove outright, the ELD records could help indicate this as a reason. Additionally, these small computers record the driving time between destinations. If a driver is drastically ahead of schedule, black boxes could prove when a driver is speeding.
• Inspection Reports: In the aftermath of a crash, a qualified 18-wheeler inspector must examine the truck before removing it from the wreckage. This inspection is not generally part of the police’s accident report, so you will have to ask for it separately. The report details the overall condition of the commercial truck and the trailer.
• On-Board Tech: Truck cabs get fitted with a generous amount of technology, such as advanced GPS systems and inclinometers. Inclinometers help measure the truck’s slope, indicating if they were driving too fast for a certain angle. All of these technologies will help in reconstructing what happened at the time of an accident.

For a robust case, you need to gather this evidence. However, it’s difficult to collect evidence alone. You have to obtain it fast and may not know who to contact. Plus, it’s likely the truck company and insurer won’t help you. Their goal is to avoid being at-fault, so they may delay getting the evidence to you. While unlikely, there is also the risk of tampering with or deleting evidence altogether. A qualified attorney can help in these messy situations.

Best West Houston 18-Wheeler Accident Attorneys

Call an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyers in West Houston

At The Stephens Law Firm, we have some of the best automobile crash attorneys in West Houston, and we know who to call and what to gather. We’ll be able to request the preservation of evidence to ensure everything is intact for your case. 

If you or a loved one has been the victim of a big rig accident, don’t hesitate to call us at 281-623-1701. We want to help you seek the compensation you deserve. Joe Stephens, a winning wrongful death lawyer in West Houston, can help you and your family to obtain the right compensation for your losses.