Types of Records a Truck Injury Lawyer Can Use to Prove Your Case

In the event that you are involved in a truck accident, one of the first things you should do is contact an experienced truck injury lawyer. Among other things, they will gather and preserve evidence that they will then use to support your injury claim. Without such materials, you are unlikely to get the compensation you need to fully recover from your injuries.

The Importance of Records in a Truck Injury Case

Insurance companies don’t give away money easily. You need to prove your case thoroughly before you can even get close to the amount of money you are eligible to receive. If you leave out any records, you are likely to have your case denied or undervalued. Experienced truck injury attorneys will know what types of records are important and start preserving them as soon as possible.

Accident Records

Before the the truck company’s insurer will give you any money, your truck injury attorney needs to prove that the truck driver was responsible for the accident. Accident records are usually the best way to prove that, as they provide a snapshot of the accident scene when the police arrived and include the educated opinion of the police about which driver was responsible.

Medical Records

Unfortunately, even if the insurance company acknowledges that the truck driver is responsible for your injuries, it still doesn’t mean you will get approved for an amount of money that covers your expenses. Insurance companies are notorious for undervaluing claims or deciding that some medical care is unnecessary.

The best way to prevent that is for your truck injury lawyer to preserve as many of your medical records as possible. Altogether, you want to provide the insurance company with so much evidence about the severity of your injuries and the need you have for medical attention to treat those injuries that they cannot reasonably undervalue your claim. These records will also prove that your injuries prevent you from working when you are claiming lost wages.

Driver Logs and Hours of Service Records

Commercial truck drivers must obey strict regulations regarding the amount of hours they can work each day and week. To prove that they are obeying these, drivers are required to maintain logs of every hour they drive. Your truck injury attorney will scour these logs to find any discrepancies, and if they see that the truck driver was working more hours than they should have, that can be used as proof of negligence.

Truck Maintenance and Inspection Records

Commercial vehicles also need to be regularly maintained, and just as drivers are required to maintain driving logs, they must also keep maintenance and inspection records. If a vehicle isn’t properly maintained, that could be another piece of evidence that shows the driver or truck company’s responsibility for an accident.

Dashcam Footage and Other Surveillance Video

As dashcams become more common, getting video footage of an accident is becoming increasingly easy for truck injury lawyers. Even if your car is not equipped with one, your lawyer might be able to obtain dashcam footage from the truck company or other drivers who witnessed the accident.

Witness Statements and Testimony

On the subject of witnesses, juries still put a lot of faith in witness testimony, even when physical evidence is plentiful. One of the best ways you can help your attorney is by collecting the name and contact information of anyone who witnessed the accident while you are still at the accident scene.

Insurance Policies and Coverage Details

The amount of money you can get may be limited by the insurance policy maintained by the trucking company. Your attorney will ask the insurance company to provide details about the policy and its coverage limits early in the process. That information will help your lawyer decide whether to pursue a settlement or a lawsuit.

FAQ

Are There Any Other Records That Could Be Valuable?

Medical bills aren’t the only type of expense that you might incur after a truck accident. For example, if you are seriously injured, you probably won’t be able to drive your car, which means you could request compensation for travel costs, like rideshare services. You should keep a record of any bill that is attributable to your injuries.

Do I Need to Keep Records of My Legal Fees?

Your legal fees are not an expense that you can seek compensation for after an accident. Furthermore, since nearly all truck accident lawyers take their cases on contingency, you won’t actually have any legal fees until after you have already received compensation from your claim.

How Long Will My Lawyer Collect Records?

Your truck injury lawyer will typically collect and preserve records until they believe they have enough information to get you fair compensation for your injuries. At a minimum, your attorney usually will not pursue compensation until you have finished receiving medical attention. That will ensure they have all your medical records before starting negotiations with the insurance company.

Contact an Experienced Truck Injury Lawyer at The Spence Law Firm Today

Getting fair compensation from an insurance company after a truck accident requires as much evidence as possible to support your case. The truck accident lawyers at The Spence Law Firm understand what types of evidence are best, as well as how to present them to insurance companies.

We can provide you with better representation when you understand the types of records we need and work with us to preserve those records. When you need to pursue a legal claim, contact our law firm to discuss your case with our team as soon as possible.