When you have been involved in a trucking accident, it is very important that you preserve key pieces of evidence. This evidence is used to determine the responsible parties for the accident. If your injuries allow you to do so, you should seek the following types of evidence at the scene and secure it in a safe place:
- Pictures of the accident scene including any road signs
- Pictures of the road to show if it was wet or dry
- Pictures of the car and truck in the accident position
- Pictures of your injuries
- Pictures of any witnesses
- Names and contact information of witnesses
- Anything you can remember about the event should be written down
If your injuries are too severe for you to accomplish these goals, try to remember as much as possible about the event so that you can share it with your attorney as soon as your injuries are stabilized.
Trucking Accidents Are Treated Differently
Truck accidents are treated very differently than an accident involving two passenger vehicles. This is because trucks are commercial vehicles that must meet specific safety standards to operate on the roads. These standards are in place to protect both the driver of the commercial vehicle and anyone else traveling on the same roads.
Truck accidents are also generally more serious than regular passenger vehicle events. The size and weight of a semi-truck often cause catastrophic damage and injuries to the people in the smaller vehicle. Because of this, it is critical to establish who is at fault for the event.
Accidents involving trucks may have several responsible parties. This is why preserving as much evidence as possible is important to the case. As your car accidents attorney in Jacksonville will explain, the responsible parties for these events can include:
- The driver
- The trucking company
- The truck maintenance company
- The shipper (for loading truck incorrectly)
- A combination of one or more of these parties
Save as much evidence as possible from the scene and write down everything that you remember. All of this information will be useful in building your case. Your car accidents attorney in Jacksonville will determine the at-fault party for the accident and seek compensation on your behalf accordingly.