The aftermath of the average truck accident can be violent and confusing. Understanding why the collision occurred will take time and the input of investigation experts. Truck accident attorneys, traffic safety commissions, and insurance company representatives are the most likely parties to conduct a truck accident investigation. The findings they uncover can be of a huge benefit to your injury claim, sometimes in ways that you might not expect.
Five ways that a truck accident investigation can help your claim are:
- Preserve evidence: If the truck accident investigation is being handled by your attorney, then one of the first things they will do is make moves to preserve the evidence. Trucking companies aren’t necessarily under any legal obligation to hold onto logbooks, driving records, video evidence, electronic data recorder files, inspection and maintenance reports, and so forth for an extended period of time after a crash. But your attorney can contact the trucking company and instruct them to hold onto any documentation or file that could be even tangentially related to the crash until the case concludes. If some evidence “disappears” after the trucking company receives this instruction, then it could be seen as evidence tampering, which will dramatically worsen their case while benefitting yours.
- Uncover the truth: Of course, a truck accident investigation’s main purpose is to uncover the truth about what happened in the moments immediately leading up to the collision. When the truck driver claims they are not to blame for the accident, liability will be contested, and the truth will be clouded. Evidence that can only be obtained through a thorough investigation will help dispel that cloud and bring the truth to light again.
- Discover past accidents: The driving record of the trucker who hit you matters. But the trucking company won’t want you to know about it if they have accidents on their record. With an investigation, the histories of both the trucker and the company that paid them can be discovered, which might show a proclivity for reckless driving and/or a lack of disciplinary action.
- Calculate damages: You are owed a certain amount of compensation for the damages you have experienced due to your truck accident. The insurance company won’t want to pay the full amount, though, because they are a business that is out to gain profits, not popularity. A truck accident investigation can help reduce your liability, perhaps down to 0%. In most states, the less liable you are for your accident, the more compensation you can be rewarded in a settlement or verdict.
- Prepare for trial: There is no promise that a truck accident claim will end with a settlement. When the stakes are high, some trucking companies will risk their reputation by letting the case go to court, where every detail becomes public. If this happens to your claim, then you will be thankful that your attorney conducted an in-depth investigation to uncover every metaphorical stone in search of evidence. The last thing you want is to head into the courtroom with an underprepared case.
Investigations, Preparation & Litigation at One Firm
At Aaron Sachs & Associates, P.C., we take every truck accident claim that reaches our desks seriously. We know that there might be tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line for our clients due to the severity of their injuries. To make certain we give them a fair chance at pursuing maximized compensation, we can assist with every step of their case, from investigations and claim preparation to negotiations and litigation. It is all part of the way we make filing and managing a claim after a bad accident simple for our clients, allowing them to dedicate their energy to healing and rest.
We can tell you more about our services. Just contact us at any time.