In truck accidents, the right evidence makes a huge difference. What you collect, and how quickly, can be the deciding factor in your case. Trucking companies have their own investigators moving fast, so it’s important that you have a professional on your side to help as well.
An Indianapolis truck accident lawyer knows what evidence you need, how to demand it before it disappears, and how to push for crucial records the company might not want to share. Acting fast gives you the best chance to hold the trucking company accountable.
Time-Sensitive Evidence in a Truck Accident Case
Truck accidents often create a chaotic scene, but what you do next can make a big difference in your case. Some of the most important evidence will not stick around for long. Acting quickly helps protect your rights and gives you a better chance to prove what happened. Here are some of the important pieces of evidence you need to work on getting right away:
Black Box Data
Most trucks have an “event data recorder,” often called the black box. This device holds information about the truck’s speed, how hard the brakes were pressed, and even steering patterns just before the crash. This data is stored for only a short time before it is written over or lost. Getting the black box information early can help show exactly how the accident unfolded.
Dash Camera Footage
Many commercial trucks have dash cameras. They capture real-time video inside and outside the truck until the moment of impact. However, these videos can be erased, taped over, or lost as part of regular company routines. If dash cam footage is collected soon after the accident, it can clarify events in a way nothing else can.
Traffic Camera Footage
Public or business security cameras near the crash site may capture the wreck itself or the events just before. Video evidence can clarify how fast the truck was moving, when brakes were used, or exactly how the vehicles collided. Even small shops or nearby buildings sometimes have useful footage investigators can obtain.
On-Scene Evidence and Photographs
Tire marks, damaged road signs, debris, and the position of vehicles all help to piece together the accident. These things do not last long once the road reopens. Severe weather or clean-up crews remove physical clues quickly, making it important to obtain this type of evidence quickly.
Witness Statements
People who saw the accident can offer facts that are missing from devices or photos. Memories can fade quickly, so it helps to find witnesses and have your lawyer talk to them promptly.
911 Calls
Recordings of 911 calls capture what people said moments after the crash. These often include honest details from victims, witnesses, or even the truck driver before anyone has had a chance to think things over. Since dispatch centers only keep these recordings for a limited time, requesting them promptly helps to keep a true record of how people first described the scene.
Body Cam Footage
Responding police officers often wear body cameras that record sights and sounds at the crash site. This footage shows honest reactions, early statements, and how things looked right after the event. Like other records, body cam video may not be kept forever, so acting fast limits the chance of losing important details.
Drug and Alcohol Testing
After a collision, most truck drivers must be tested for drugs and alcohol. These test results help prove if someone was driving impaired. Proving intoxication adds extra support to personal injury claims, especially in deadly or serious injury consequences.
The sooner you start collecting evidence, the more accurate your case will be when dealing with insurance companies or in a courtroom.
Your Case Will Get
The Attention It Deserves
Other Essential Evidence in Truck Accident Cases
There’s other critical evidence that you’ll need to collect after a truck accident. It may not be as time sensitive, but it’s just as important. This often includes:
ELD Logs
Electronic logging devices, or ELDs, are logs that keep track of a truck driver’s hours on the road. The law requires truck drivers to use these electronic records because they help stop overworked, unsafe driving. ELD logs can show if the driver broke the rules for rest breaks or driving hours. Lawyers and investigators use this log to learn if things like fatigue may have played a role in the crash.
Cell Phone Data
Cell phone records offer insight into what the driver was doing right before and during the wreck. Data from cell phones can confirm or dispute claims about calling, texting, or checking apps. This evidence is useful in situations where dangerous distractions or improper conduct behind the wheel may be a part of your case.
Maintenance and Inspection Evidence
Big trucks require regular checks to avoid hazards on the highway. Maintenance records can show if the truck owner or company skipped or delayed required inspections. A lack of routine care, or proof of ignoring past problems, can help show that the crash could have been prevented.
Driver Qualifications
Commercial drivers need certain training and licensure. Records with a driver’s qualifications will show if the person had the required legal background and skills. If your lawyer can show that the driver did not have proper training or licensing, there will be a better case for the company being responsible.
Cargo and Loading Documents
How cargo is loaded makes a big difference in how a truck drives and how dangerous it can become in an evasive move or a wreck. Loading logs track what was carried, how it was secured, and whether people followed the rules. An investigation into these documents may uncover overloading or unbalanced weight as reasons the crash occurred.
Evidence of Damages
It is not enough to just prove how the accident happened – you also need proof showing how it affected you. This includes medical records and bills, photos of injuries, proof of property damage, lost wages from being unable to work, and any other ways the accident affected your life.
Contact Vaughan & Vaughan To Build Your Case
Gathering the right evidence takes some patience and an understanding of what’s at stake. The best way to do this is to work with an experienced Indianapolis personal injury lawyer as soon as possible to make sure the evidence you need isn’t lost. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.
