Building a claim after a traffic accident requires collecting evidence that supports your version of events. In many cases, particularly those that involve commercial trucks, the other parties also gather evidence and may try and use it to tell a different story about how the accident occurred. Because of that, it is wise to make sure that gathering your own evidence is a priority.
Truck accidents can cause major property damage and injuries, but with a strong legal strategy and evidence to back up your claims, settling an injury claim does not have to take forever. You have a life, and the sooner you get on the road to recovery, the sooner you can move beyond your accident and back to your everyday routine. Gathering evidence at the scene and receiving a full medical examination after the accident are two ways you can set yourself up for a fair, relatively quick resolution to your claim.
Gathering evidence after a truck accident
No matter what vehicles are involved in a car accident, it is always wise to gather several forms of evidence at the scene. If possible, try to document the scene before wrecking crews arrive to move the vehicles and clear the debris. Once the clean-up process begins, gathering evidence is much more difficult.
You can begin your evidence-gathering by taking pictures and video of the accident site with your phone, if it is available. It is also a good idea to search out any security footage that nearby businesses and homes may have, not forgetting that most security footage does not remain available for more than a few days.
Commercial truck evidence
Commercial trucks should all contain two additional types of evidence that passenger vehicles do not, the driver’s logs and the data from the truck’s electronic control module, or ECM. Drivers must keep logs of how often they break for rest and eating, and they must provide them to you upon your request. If possible, request the driver’s logs at the scene of the accident to avoid any alteration to their contents.
Similarly, the owner of the truck must provide you with the data from the ECM, which may shed light on dangerous driving habits of the driver or mechanical malfunctions that may have led to the accident. Be sure to request these in writing from the owner of the vehicle as soon as possible, before the owner has the opportunity to delete the data, which they may do until you request it.
Protect your future now
Building a claim after a truck accident may seem overwhelming, but it does not need to be. Using high-quality legal tools and guidance, you can begin building your claim and seeking fair compensation today. This will allow you to keep your rights secure while you work toward recovering from your injuries and losses and moving forward from the accident altogether.
