Preserving Evidence After a Big Rig Crash: Help Your Legal Case
Serious injuries can result from collisions involving 18-wheeler trucks and commercial semis due to their size and weight. The law firm of Reed & Terry, LLP in Sugar Land, TX, represents motorists, motorcyclists, and even pedestrians who have been in big rig collisions and accidents.
If you've been the victim of this type of wreck, gathering the proper crash evidence in a timely manner is crucial to being successful on your bodily injury claim. Below is a list of types of evidence you'll need to preserve. Our big rig accident lawyers can answer additional questions you may have during a consultation.
1. Driver Information
Obtaining the big rig’s driver's information and the company he/she is employed by will ensure you hold the right people accountable for the wreck.
In the moments following the accident, be sure to get the driver's name and contact information, license plate number, insurance details, and contact information for their employer and immediate supervisor.
2. Photographs and Video
Photos provide some of the strongest evidence in any accident claim, as it's hard for insurers and other parties to deny or minimize visual proof. That's why it's essential (if you're physically able) to document the accident scene, roads/streets, road signs, vehicles and surroundings.
Try to take pictures from multiple angles and from both close and far away. Capture as many images as you can since it's better to have too many photos of the big rig accident than too few.
3. Collision Report and Medical Records
Police collision reports are essential pieces of evidence after truck collisions because they provide neutral, third-party insight into what transpired and professional analysis of the chain of events. Similarly, medical records documenting the care you receive for accident-related injuries offer a medical professional's account and assessment of how the crash has impacted your health.
These documents from law enforcement and medical professionals help support your claim. Insurers, judges, and juries often rely on them when making their determinations.
4. Black Box Data
Commercial trucks have black boxes similar to those found in airplanes. A black box stores information like speed, brake usage, whether seatbelts are used or airbags deployed, and hours of service on the road.
Your auto accident attorney can take the necessary steps to obtain black box data. However, it's crucial to act quickly, as many trucking companies erase this data after a certain amount of time.
Why You Need a Truck Accident Lawyer
If you were recently and needlessly struck by a big rig, you can even the playing field by contacting one of the best personal injury law firms in Texas: Reed & Terry, LLP.
Reed & Terry, LLP has been practicing law in Texas and concentrating in Harris and Fort Bend Counties since 1994. With office locations in Sugar Land, Katy, and Richmond/Rosenberg, TX, our board-certified personal injury attorneys are ready to work for you and your family now to get the money damages you deserve.
Contact Our Law Firm Today
Time is of the essence! Virtual, hospital, and home visits from our legal team are also available. We are proven and experienced trial lawyers that get results. Call (281) 491-5000 or request a free consultation.
