Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
If you work with a North Miami personal injury attorney because you have been injured in a truck accident, one of the things your attorney will do is evaluate all the information available and will investigate the accident itself to determine all liable parties. There are many ways that attorneys can do this:
1) Look up records regarding past violations involving the same truck driver or trucking company. If a truck driver has previously involved in a North Miami car accident or if the track record of the truck carrier is poor, this can indicate that the driver or the company did not take due care and may be held liable for the accident.
2) Subpoena the truck’s maintenance records. One reason it is important to retain an attorney quickly after a North Miami truck accident is because maintenance records may not be kept for very long. Yet, they can indicate whether the truck was well maintained. If the truck had known problems that were never fixed or if the truck was not regularly inspected and maintained, this can help show dangerous negligence on the part of the driver or truck company.
3) Determine the speed at which your vehicle and the truck were traveling. Excessive speed is a frequent factor in fatal collisions.
4) Gather evidence about, and analyze, any damage to the vehicles. This damage can help accident reconstruction experts determine the cause of an accident.
5) Subpoena the driver’s log book. Again, the log book may not remain forever, so it is important for a North Miami truck accident attorney to secure this book right away. By law, all commercial truck drivers are supposed to indicate hours and miles driven, as well as stops taken. If a log book is incorrectly kept or shows that the driver did not rest adequately before an accident, this can help prove driver liability in the accident.
6) Speak to first responders and witnesses at the scene of the North Miami traffic accident. Securing this testimony can be especially important if a victim decides to pursue legal action against the truck company or driver.
7) Gather evidence from the truck’s black box. This can indicate information about what the truck was doing (and how fast the truck was moving) before, during, and after the accident.
8) Work with accident reconstruction specialists and private investigators to determine the cause of the accident and liable parties in an accident. If more than one liable party emerges, this can increase the chances that the victim will get a fairer settlement for injuries. In many cases, a North Miami truck accident is blamed on the drivers, but a number of factors – including road maintenance, other drivers, car defects, truck brake defects, and other causes – may be to blame. Often, only a thorough and professional investigation can help uncover the true reasons behind an accident.
9) Review the trucking company’s policies, safety procedures, maintenance schedule, and accident track record.
10) Evaluate the total costs of the accident. In many cases, insurance companies and victims do not consider the long-term costs of a North Miami traffic accident, but the injuries sustained in a serious accident can last many years and may require many years of expensive medical treatment.
The sooner you retain a North Miami truck accident attorney after your accident, the sooner your attorney can take steps to safeguard evidence for your case. The Flaxman Law Group has people standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so that you can always reach a live operator to discuss your case and get immediate assistance. Contact the Flaxman Law Group now to arrange for your free accident consultation with an experienced North Miami truck accident attorney.