Commercial Truck Accident Cases: Critical Evidence You Need to Win
May 8, 2019
Commercial Truck Accidents
Getting into an accident with driver of a commercial truck can be extremely serious. It is very common for at least one of the parties involved in the accident to be seriously injured due to the size and mass of these powerhouse vehicles. Knowing what evidence to gather and what to look for after experiencing an accident of this caliber can be critical for the winning your commercial truck accident case.
Evidence Surrounding Safety Violations
Because of the nature of commercial trucks, there are many laws and regulations in place for the maintenance and operation of these huge vehicles. There are rules on how often certain parts must be inspected and how often the truck and its operations must be tested. When these are skipped or ignored, the truck can be nonoperational or dangerous too drive and can result in an accident when a trucker gets behind the wheel. There is certain pieces of evidence that can be reviewed to check if there were safety or maintenance violations.
Evidence that can be gathered for safety violations include:
- Pictures of parts of the commercial truck that look damaged or not properly maintained
- Tracking and logging devices are used to actually record maintenance data as well as recordings of how the truck is being driven such as tracking speeds, break usage, times at rest, service hours, and more.
- Maintenance records and paperwork are often kept with the truck or those who own the truck or hire the driver. These will give full details on what parts have had issues, what has been inspected and checked, what has been replaced, etc.
Evidence Surrounding Negligent Commercial Truck Drivers
Even if the commercial truck is in tip top shape, an accident can still occur because of the driver themselves. Whether the driver was negligent in how he was driving, was under qualified, or made some sort of mistake on the road, there is often evidence that can be used to prove this in court.
Evidence to prove driver negligence includes:
- Testimony from witnesses and the negligent driver
- Police reports and diagrams of the accident
- Dashboard cam video showing the actions the driver took right before the accident
- Paperwork of the driver such as proper licenses or lack thereof, accident records, medical records for mental illness, etc.
Contact a Erie Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Commercial Truck Accident Case in Pennsylvania
Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to a commercial truck accident in Pennsylvania? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C. represent clients injured because of commercial truck accidents in Erie, Millcreek, Harborcreek, Fairview and throughout Pennsylvania. Call (814) 273-2010 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 2525 W 26th St, Erie, PA 16506, as well as offices in Meadville and North East.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.