How Do Truck Accident Investigations Work?
Be aware that trucking companies typically get their investigators and their attorneys on the case within hours of a fatal accident. While this is an emotional and difficult time for you and your family, it is important that you retain your own attorney as soon as possible to ensure that your right to collect compensation is protected.
Our truck accident lawyers at Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima, have been handling cases for people who have had family members tragically killed in preventable truck crashes for more than three decades. They understand what you are going through and will do everything they can to allow you to focus on being with your family in your time of grief. Their job is to see that those who caused the loss of your loved one are held accountable. The tens of millions of dollars that our attorneys have recovered for other truck crash victims and their families are proof of their experience aggressively pursuing unsafe trucking companies on behalf of survivors and victims.
In these cases, the highway patrol is often brought in to conduct a far more detailed investigation than that which would take place in a nonfatal truck accident. However, an experienced lawyer will use experts and additional methods to collect evidence and dig deeper to gather all the necessary facts surrounding a fatal crash.
Our attorneys look for patterns of negligence on the part of the trucking company which are sadly too prevalent. They will also investigate the background of the truck driver, something that the trucking company should have done prior to hiring the driver. Over the years, they have gained access to top experts throughout the country who help them understand technical aspects of what happened by conducting physical examinations, downloading electronic data, and reconstructing crash scenes. You can be confident that our team will cut no corners when it comes to building a legal strategy designed to get justice in your case.
Factors To Investigate In Fatal Truck Crashes
There are several factors that should be investigated. These include:
- What type of safety training did the trucking company provide for its driver?
- What is the trucking company’s safety record for its other drivers?
- What safety policies did the trucking company have in place to prevent truck crashes?
- Were the truck’s headlights in working order and, if so, were they on?
- Was the driver distracted at the time of the deadly crash or immediately before it? (A check of cellphone records can help determine this.)
- Did the driver receive the mandatory amount of rest before the shift they were on at the time of the deadly crash? (Checking the driver’s log can help determine this.)
- Were the 18-wheeler’s brakes in working condition? Were they applied?
- What, if any, evasive action was taken by the driver? Was the truck properly loaded, allowing the driver to properly brake and conduct evasive actions?
- Were the emergency lights flashing on the woman’s vehicle? Did the truck driver notice them?
Through our lawyers’ time-tested and effective investigatory methods, they have successfully determined the sources of many complex semi-truck accidents.
Examining The Causes Of A Deadly Ohio Truck Accident
After a motor vehicle crash, police officers usually fill out an accident report to record details from the scene of the wreck as well as witness accounts. The accident report provides basic information that can be used to determine which driver or drivers were at fault. Law enforcement officers, however, do not have the resources or time to conduct intensive investigations.
Personal injury lawyers who understand crash investigation and accident reconstruction are often able to uncover critical pieces of evidence pertaining to the liability and damages resulting from a crash.
Get Help Today From An Ohio Personal Injury Lawyer
The sooner you consult one of our knowledgeable attorneys, the sooner they can visit the accident scene, gather evidence and start their investigation. Please contact Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima at 513-496-0134 or send us an email to schedule a consultation.
