A successful truck accident claim requires ample evidence clearly demonstrating fault and loss. Evidence that may help with this includes black box data, hours-of-service logs, camera footage of the driver, logbooks, and truck maintenance records. Evidence should directly correspond to the cause of the accident, clearly demonstrating who is at fault. An experienced commercial vehicle accident attorney in Jackson can assist with your case.
Evidence from Commercial Black Boxes
Many trucks today have an Event Data Recorder (EDR), or black box, that records critical information about the truck while the driver operates it. This helps to show what occurred prior to the accident, with evidence such as:
- How fast the truck was traveling before the accident
- The brake timing
- Throttle position
These details help to show if the driver was driving in a safe manner. They could also demonstrate that the driver was speeding or braking hard.
Driver Logbooks
Truck drivers keep logbooks of their hours of service according to the requirements under federal law. The hours of service rules require drivers to take breaks at various times or to have time off between shifts. Drivers must document when they drove, where, and when they took breaks. Overdriving hours, for example, could help indicate the driver was fatigued behind the wheel.
Camera Footage
Many trucks also have a dash camera facing outward and one facing inward. These cameras record critical footage of what occurred prior to the accident that could help demonstrate fault in the accident. For example, an inward-facing camera could show the driver was using their phone or dozing off while behind the wheel. An outward-facing camera can demonstrate the driver was cutting off other drivers or provide impact footage.
Maintenance Records
Truck drivers and the companies that own them must ensure that every vehicle on the road is safe to drive. Maintenance logs help to demonstrate that expected maintenance services were completed as expected. Records should include details such as when the last inspection was, what type of work was done, and what repairs were recently completed.
Maintenance issues may demonstrate the tires were worn. If a tire blowout occurred causing the driver to lose control, this can indicate maintenance teams could be responsible for the accident.
Other Evidence Helpful in a Truck Accident Claim
Your truck accident lawyer will seek other evidence as well that correlates with the claim’s details. Some examples may include:
- Fuel and rest stop receipts that show how much time it took for a driver to go from one location to the next
- The driver’s training and license records, including any previously known concerns about violations
- Crash and discipline history from employee records
- Medical history that could indicate the driver was unfit to operate a vehicle
- Drug and alcohol tests taken at the time of the crash
- Police crash reports
- Your statement as the victim
- The statement of any witnesses that stopped to help
- Camera footage from the surrounding area
All of these details work together to paint a clear picture of what occurred. Drivers will always other evidence could indicate that are times when these other bits of evidence could indicate another party was also at fault.
Expect your truck accident lawyer to work to identify any evidence available in your claim. They will then use that to create a clear picture of negligence.