Evidence and Trucking Accidents. Why It’s So Important.

Just a few years ago (in 2015), Louisiana reportedly had 5,460 trucking companies in the state. It is said that over 78% of the local communities in Louisiana rely on trucks to transport their goods. Given that many trucks on the roads and the difficult conditions truckers face (long hours, lack of sleep) it shouldn’t come as a surprise that statistics show that commercial trucks are involved in 8% of all fatal crashes each year in Louisiana.

Since commercial trucking companies face enormous costs if held liable for personal injuries or deaths caused by a trucking accident, after an accident, the trucking company investigators, insurance companies, and attorneys do all they can to minimize the trucking company’s exposure to liability.

This is why gathering all the necessary evidence of liability as quickly as possible after a trucking accident is critical to any injured victim’s case.

Evidence is Critical.

Because commercial trucking companies and their drivers are regulated by the federal government and must also comply with state safety regulations, trucking accidents are far more complicated than your average passenger car accident. Trucking regulations don’t just cover driving practices. They cover just about every aspect of the commercial motor vehicle world.

As a result, compliance with safety regulations and industry standards is a significant part of handling semi-truck crash cases. This means that the importance of having sufficient evidence in these cases is far beyond what is typical for car crash cases. If you are involved in a trucking accident, you need an attorney who can gather, dissect, and use the evidence to your advantage.

So what evidence do you need in a big-rig case?

The possible evidence in a trucking accident covers a number of different areas. For example, there is evidence related to the truck driver. This can be things like:

• The driver’s qualifications file (which is required by the FMCSR to include specific items)
• The driver’s training file
• The driver’s hours of service documentation (logs or the equivalent and supporting documentation)
• Driver inspection records, and
• Post-collision drug and alcohol screening

There is also evidence specific to the cargo itself. This is things like bills of lading. Then there is evidence related to the commercial vehicle involved in the accident. This type of evidence is critical as it covers things like truck maintenance and inspection history just to name a few.

The evidence involved in each aspect of a trucking accident is critical to a big-rig personal injury or wrongful death claim or litigation.

Because of this, and due to the fact that federal and state trucking regulations do not require commercial transportation companies to keep certain evidence for very long (for example, log books only have to be kept for 6 months), after a trucking accident, you must move fast to get all the evidence you need for your case. That is why it is imperative in trucking accident cases that you have experienced trucking accident counsel on your side as soon as possible.

Trucking Accident Attorneys Who Can Help You.

If you have been injured or lost a loved one due to an accident with a commercial truck or big rig, call us. We are experienced trucking accident and personal injury attorneys. We work hard to get you the compensation you deserve. We offer free consultations, and in many cases, we don’t get paid unless you win. Contact us ToDay or call 225-200-0000.