Investigating Truck Accidents in Georgia

The scene of a large commercial truck crash is often chaotic. There can be multiple vehicles wrecked, many people with injuries, cargo spilled in the road, and emergency vehicles pulling up to the scene. In this chaos, it can be difficult to even begin to determine what caused the crash.

Knowing the cause of the crash and who should be liable is essential to your future financial recovery. The problem is that investigating truck accidents and their causes is no simple matter. You need the help of an experienced Cumming and Forsyth County truck accident attorney.

Obstacles to Truck Crash Investigations

It is important to predict which roadblocks you might face during a truck accident investigation so you can head them off. This is best accomplished with the help of an attorney who regularly handles truck crash claims.

For example, the trucking company will likely send a representative to the scene of the crash whenever possible. This person will know what to look for and collect it as evidence. If you do not act quickly, there is a real chance that evidence might get destroyed before you get a chance to access and examine it.

Further, semi-trucks are highly complex machines that must be in compliance with many federal regulations. Generally speaking, a regular person outside of the trucking industry would not know where to begin when trying to determine what caused the crash. Such investigations are highly technical, but the good news is that a skilled truck accident lawyer will know the solutions to conduct a thorough and successful truck crash investigation.

How a Truck Accident Lawyer Helps

First, your truck accident lawyer will take action and demand that the trucking company and truck driver preserve and do not destroy or lose certain pieces of evidence. Such a demand can prevent spoliation of:

• The truck itself
• The driver’s daily logs
• Truck and driver inspection reports, both pre- and post-accident
• Maintenance and repair records
• The driver’s commercial license, qualifications, and training
• The driver’s employment and driving records
• Any video footage, photos, or other visual evidence of the truck or accident scene
• Results of the driver’s alcohol and drug tests, including post-accident
• Contracts involving the truck and relevant parties
• Records of the driver’s activities on the day of the accident
• Trip and dispatch records
• Data from the truck’s “black box”
• Truck sensor reports
• Cargo loading and unloading records
• All truck driver communications via CD radio or smartphone

There are many other records you can demand to be preserved, which helps to ensure that you will be able to access this information. If the trucking company destroys anything while awaiting possible litigation, it can face serious penalties.

Your attorney can also use their network to hire a trucking industry expert, accident reconstruction specialist, or other professionals who can decipher the technical information involved in the investigation.

Contact a Forsyth County Truck Accident Attorney Right Away

Proving liability for a truck crash is complex, but our Cumming truck accident lawyers have tools and experience that allow us to conduct successful investigations for our clients. To learn more about how Banks, Stubbs & McFarland can help, please contact us online or call us at 770-887-1209 today.