Truck Accident Claim
The aftermath of California truck accidents is usually severe. In many cases, the injuries one sustains are life-altering and require extensive therapy, surgery, and ongoing medical care. If you’re injured in a truck accident in Rancho Cucamonga and want to pursue legal action to collect compensation for your injuries, what kind of evidence do you need to share with your attorney? That’s what our truck injury lawyers answer here.
1. The Truck’s Black Box
Ever since black boxes were introduced back in 1994, they have become integral in providing supporting evidence for Rancho Cucamonga truck accidents. A black box contains vital information about the truck and its driver, such as:
How many hours the truck driver has logged
If the driver was wearing a seatbelt
The vehicle’s speed and the driver’s use of brakes
The truck’s mileage and cruise control usage
GPS location
These stats help determine liability for the truck accident. Best of all, trucking companies usually keep this data for 30 days. However, a month goes by quicker than you realize, so calling a truck accident lawyer as soon as possible after a California truck accident to obtain this information is critical.
2. Accident Report/Police Report
After you call 911 to the accident scene, the police officer will create a police report. The report contains the location of the accident and relevant information such as names and contact information of all the parties involved, the make and model of the vehicles, and who they think is responsible for the accident based on the accident scene and witness testimony (if available). While a truck accident claim can’t be built solely on the crash report, getting this is incredibly important to providing evidence for your accident claim.
At the accident scene, the police officer will usually give you information about when the accident report will be uploaded and where you can access it. However, you can also visit your local police station to obtain a copy for your personal records, or your Rancho Cucamonga truck accident lawyer can request it on your behalf.
3. Name and Contact Info of the Other Driver
Unless the driver of the truck fled the scene of the accident, you should always make sure to swap contact info with them. Document the following details such as:
Their name and the name of the company they work for and their boss’s name
Phone number and/or email address
License plate
Their commercial driver’s license number (CDL)
Insurance carrier and policy number
Also be sure to take photos and/or videos of the accident scene, road hazards, the brand name listed on the truck, weather conditions, and damage to both vehicles. This will serve you in your truck accident claim and help determine liability and get a hold of the truck driver’s insurance carrier to collect compensation.
Remember, the more details you obtain at the accident site, the more seamless it’ll be to move forward with your claim. Your Rancho Cucamonga truck accident attorney will determine what pieces of evidence you gathered are vital to your truck accident claim and what aren’t.
4. Medical Records and Other Expense Receipts
After a truck accident in Rancho Cucamonga, it’s always recommended that you seek medical attention to make sure you’re not severely hurt. If you sought medical attention, you should keep a record of all your related medical expenses. This includes your co-pays, prescription receipts, after-visit summaries and diagnoses, x-ray results, etc. If you missed time off work, obtain proof from your employer of how many hours you were not paid.
Other recoverable expenses include payments you made for therapeutic services and medical treatment not covered by your insurance, or payments for housekeeping services and/or daycare services you needed during your recovery.
Your truck accident lawyer in Rancho Cucamonga will advise you on what pieces of evidence you need to bring with you during your consultation and throughout the claims process.
5. Logbooks
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires commercial truck drivers to keep a record of how many hours they drive and when they take breaks. Commercial truck drivers are required to take a 30-minute break for every eight consecutive hours they drive. Not only can their logbook provide valuable insight into how long the driver was working at the time of the accident, but it could also show a pattern of neglect that could hold both the driver and the company they work for liable for FMCSA violations.
Don’t Face the Aftermath of a Truck Accident Alone
An experienced truck accident lawyer in Ranch Cucamonga can help with your truck accident claim.
The moments after a truck accident are usually stressful and terrifying. The injuries you sustain and the damage to your vehicle are severe. Unlike drivers of passenger vehicles, commercial truck drivers are bound to follow the regulations put forth by the state and federal governments. When they breach the duty they owed to every other driver on the road, they should be held liable for their extreme negligence.
At Sierra Accident Lawyers, our truck accident attorneys can help you determine liability and investigate the details of the truck accident. The evidence mentioned here is critical to supporting your Rancho Cucamonga truck accident claim. Call us today at 909-942-7632 or schedule a consultation on our website.
