If you find out that your loved one has been involved in an accident with a semi-truck, you may be able to help with the case. As soon as the accident occurs, the commercial truck company may quickly arrive at the scene of the accident in an attempt to remove some pieces of evidence.
Don't Expect Evidence to Last Long
A police officer might act to preserve evidence, but many police officers are not as sophisticated. Even with the officer instructing the truck driver to keep the truck at the scene of the accident, some companies will remove the truck and put it back on the road as soon as possible. Hard electronic data is often lost at this point, such as dashcam footage.
Another piece of evidence that can often disappear are "driver's logs." These exist so that drivers can keep track of how many hours they have been on the road. Commercial truck drivers are required to work under a set number of hours that are based on regulations set by the Department of Transportation.
Steps That a Truck Injury Attorney Will Take
An attorney is able to issue a court order that can preserve evidence. Then the evidence can be used in your loved one's case. You will not only want to hire an attorney from the state in which the accident occurred, but you will also specifically need a truck accident lawyer who will understand the challenges that come with these types of cases.
A temporary restraining order will ensure that the truck and trailer can be preserved. Electronic data cannot be searched by a police officer without a warrant, and they very seldom obtain a warrant for these types of accidents.
The Vehicle Inspection
The vehicle will need to be inspected by an attorney and photographs will need to be taken right away. The attorney can glean a lot of information from the damage done to the vehicle. The lawyer will need to rely on an investigation team because the lawyer will need to make sure that they do not become a witness in the case.
When an attorney works for a law firm, they will likely work alongside expert witnesses. These are not individuals who saw the accident directly, but have expertise that can be used when constructing what happened during the accident and determining if there were any violations. Once the attorney has been able to prove liability, your loved one may receive compensation for the injuries caused by the accident.
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