What Are Truck Accident Rapid Response Teams: Do They Affect My Case?
Truck accidents can cause life-altering injuries and costly financial losses. Liable truck drivers or trucking companies should provide victims restitution for economic and non-economic damages related to a crash. Unfortunately, trucking companies often employ a rapid response team to investigate accidents and attempt to deny liability.
Our legal team has helped numerous accident survivors and surviving loved ones in the greater Houston area. Our law offices in Sugar Land, Richmond, and Katy, TX, can conduct a truck accident rapid investigation to combat the rapid response team. We will make sure that liable parties can be held accountable and accident victims can pursue maximum compensation for their losses.
Let's explore rapid response teams and how they can help you.
What Is a Rapid Response Team?
A rapid response team is a group of professionals selected by a trucking company to respond to the scene of a crash. The rapid response team is ready to investigate an accident immediately, regardless of the day or time.
A rapid response team may include a defense lawyer, crash investigator, accident reconstruction experts, and forensic professionals.
What Is a Rapid Response Team Meant to Accomplish?
Technically, the role of a rapid response team is to investigate an accident and determine its cause.
However, the trucking company employs the response team, so their goal is to collect evidence that exonerates the truck driver and the trucking company and prevents them from paying out crash damages.
While the response team should be unbiased and is not permitted to tamper with evidence, it is not unheard of for investigators to present findings in a way that is favorable to their employer.
What Should I Do After a Truck Accident to Preserve My Case?
The rapid response team has the trucker’s best interest in mind, so drivers must advocate for themselves after a truck accident.
There are steps drivers can take to preserve their case after a collision.
1. Report the Truck Accident to the Police
First, drivers should report the accident to the police. The rapid response team will speak to the police to tell the trucker’s version of the accident, so drivers must relay their version of events.
The official police report of the crash can be used as evidence to help build a strong personal injury case or wrongful death lawsuit.
2. Take Videos and Photos of the Truck Accident
If possible, drivers should take photos or videos of the accident, including the accident location, road conditions, vehicle damage, and personal injuries. Photographs preserve evidence before the rapid response team clears it away.
Make sure that any photos or videos are backed up on multiple devices or online/in the cloud. This is just in case something happens to your phone or laptop.
3. Speak with a Truck Accident Attorney About the Crash
Finally, drivers should contact an accident attorney as soon as possible so they can start a truck crash investigation on the driver’s behalf.
Keep in mind that the statute of limitations for filing an injury accident claim after an auto wreck is two years. You should not hesitate, and instead contact skilled injury accident lawyers about what happened as soon as possible.
The Importance of a Truck Accident Attorney
Commercial truck drivers have an investigative team on their side, so other involved drivers must have the same. A truck accident attorney works on their client's behalf to collect evidence that proves accident liability. Travis B. Terry and I work with investigators to gather evidence such as:
- Data from electronic logging devices
- Driver logs
- Vehicle inspection records
- GPS data
- Cell phone records
- Surveillance video from surrounding homes or businesses
- Police reports
We can gather further evidence of truck driver negligence to demonstrate the full extent of accident damages so clients can seek restitution for losses such as medical expenses, lost wages, diminished wage-earning capacity, and pain and suffering.
An Attorney Keeps Your Case on Track
In addition to gathering and evaluating evidence, your truck accident lawyer will help keep your case moving in the right direction. You and your loved ones can focus on the recovery process and moving forward while we can negotiate a fair settlement or prepare your case to go to trial.
Why You Should Work with Our Law Firm
Our law firm has served accident victims in the greater Houston area for decades. Communities in and around Sugar Land, Richmond, and Katy know we have a reputation for results. We have a successful record of verdicts and settlements that go back years, all a testament to our commitment to our clients.
In addition to our focus on results, there are two other key aspects to our client-focused approach to injury cases:
- Free Legal Consultations
It costs you nothing to get your case evaluated by a skilled attorney familiar with personal injury law and litigation for fatal accidents. You can find out if you have a case worth pursuing without any upfront financial obligations. Just tell us your story and we'll be here to listen. - Representation on a Contingency
If our law firm takes your case, you will pay no attorney fees unless we can negotiate a fair settlement or win you damages in court. Whether your case goes to trial or not, we won't collect a dime from you unless we are successful. Again, our legal team is on your side.
You Have Nothing to Lose by Talking to Us
We are ready to help whether you suffered catastrophic injuries in a commercial trucking accident or lost a loved one because of a big rig crash. The bottom line is that our law firm removes the financial burden of getting high-quality legal representation so you can get the help you need from people you can trust.
Involved in a Truck Accident?
Schedule a Case Review
If you have been injured in a truck accident in the Houston area, you need a lawyer who can fight for you. A skilled legal professional can prove invaluable in your pursuit of damages. To learn how our legal team can assist you in establishing liability and pursuing appropriate restitution, request a free case review at your earliest convenience. We have law offices in Sugar Land, Richmond, and Katy to meet your needs.
About Jackson R. Reed
Attorney Jackson R. Reed has served clients since 1994. He is a member of the American Trial Lawyers Association (ATLA), the Texas Trial Lawyers Association (TTLA), the Houston Trial Lawyers Association (HTLA), and the State Bar of Texas.
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