Truck drivers undergo careful training to learn how to safely maneuver these larger-than-life vehicles down Indiana’s interstates. Unfortunately, that training can’t account for every possible mishap. Truck drivers can find themselves involved in all kinds of accidents, most of them often stemming from negligence.
If you’re a victim of a recent semi-truck collision, what rights does the state of Indiana afford you? More specifically, what are the most common causes of semi-truck accidents in the state, and how can you avoid the forces that might put you in harm’s way? The more you know about the ways truck driver negligence manifests, the safer you can be on Indiana’s interstates.
Truck Accidents’ Most Common Causes
In an ideal world, a truck driver’s training would help them prevent some of the most dangerous accidents to plague Indiana’s interstates to date. Unfortunately, even the most diligent of training efforts may struggle to protect drivers from the common causes of truck accidents, including but not limited to:
- Distracted driving
- Driving in poor weather
- Driving without a reasonable amount of rest
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Improperly marked construction
- Poor-quality truck parts
- Improperly-packed truck trailers
All of these elements make it more difficult for a truck driver to reasonably manage a vehicle on the road. That said, they all additionally share a common source: negligence. Driving while distracted or without rest is often a choice, as is a driver’s choice to drive under the influence or when the weather becomes unmanageable.
Construction crews that refuse to mark their sites appropriately neglect the duty of care they owe everyone on the road. Mechanics and manufacturers who fail to test a truck’s parts for overall functionality put everyday motorists at risk. Even truck packers can bear the blame for a roadway accident if they don’t distribute cargo weight appropriately.
You can discuss the ways negligence can manifest to cause a truck accident and what rights the influence of that negligence gives you with an Indiana semi-truck accident lawyer.
How to Identify the Cause of Your Truck Accident
While negligence may be the root of most of today’s truck accidents, it’s still important to bring forward evidence identifying what negligence specifically contributed to your losses. The evidence often found most relevant after a severe truck accident can include:
- Video footage of your collision
- Photos of your collision
- Statements from bystanders describing your accident
- A truck’s black box footage
- Input from expert witnesses, including accident recreationists
- Analysis of debris taken from the site of your accident
You have no obligation to gather this evidence without help. Our team can revisit the site of your accident, speak with bystanders, and otherwise bring together data addressing your losses while you focus on recovering.
Evidence of Negligence, Contracts, and Liability in Today’s Semi-Truck Accident Cases
Unfortunately, evidence only plays one part in your effort to determine both what cause bears the blame for your accident and who you can hold liable for your losses. While evidence might place the blame for your accident on a driver, that driver’s contract may divert blame to a company instead.
Independent truck drivers must represent their own interests in civil court should their negligence cause an accident. However, truck drivers who a company classifies as employees may call on their employer’s legal team for support when addressing an accident that took place on the clock.
With that in mind, a truck driver’s contract becomes one of the most important pieces of evidence you can assess after a collision. Let an attorney investigate the nature of a truck driver’s standing, and you can more readily name the right party liable for your losses if you choose to file a personal injury claim with a civil judge.
Do You Need an Attorney to Identify the Cause of Your Truck Accident?
You do have the right to represent your own best interests if you choose to take a semi-truck case and its related accidents to civil court. If you opt to represent yourself, however, you’re the only person responsible for identifying evidence of negligence relevant to your case. When you work with an attorney, you can rely on that party’s expertise to help build your case.
An attorney’s expertise makes it easier to both find negligence-identifying evidence and to analyze it in such a way as to have it elaborate on the nature of your accident. Our attorneys understand how to present a piece of evidence, be it video footage, debris, or a bystander’s testimony, in such a way as to depict the ways in which a liable party violated their duty of care.
If you’re not sure whether or not you want to proceed with a personal injury claim after a truck accident, consider scheduling a no-obligation case consultation with our attorneys. We can discuss how our attorneys might build a case in your favor. We can also discuss our contingency fee agreements, which relieve you of the stress of legal fees throughout your case.
Let Vaughan & Vaughan Investigate Your Truck Accident Today
Vaughan & Vaughan understand that truck accidents take time and effort to recover from. You don’t need to rush your recovery to pursue legal action against the party responsible for your accident. Let our team take over your investigation instead. We can use our decades of experience to help you identify the cause of your recent accident.
What’s more, you can count on our team to advocate for your right to comprehensive truck accident damages. All the while, you can focus on getting the care you need to restore your previous quality of life. Contact us by reaching out to our team online or calling our office, and we can schedule your first case consultation.
