What Evidence is Important in Truck Accident Cases?

In 2023, over 153,000 people were injured in large truck crashes. If you were recently injured in a truck accident, you may be concerned about whether you will ever return to your prior state of health. The road to recovery is fraught with medical appointments, rehabilitative therapies, and modifications to your home to accommodate your injuries. Given the chaos caused by the event, the last thing you want to deal with is battling insurance for damages.

Given the various factors at play in a truck accident, proving fault can be challenging. At HGSK Injury Lawyers, our Harrisburg truck accident attorneys are dedicated to helping injury victims recoup the financial resources they need to be “whole” again. In this blog, we discuss what forms of evidence we typically look for to prove liability in a truck accident case.

Eyewitness Testimony

A statement from a person who witnessed the accident firsthand can be exactly what you need to get your claim approved. An eyewitness can provide an unbiased account of the incident, describing what they saw and heard at the time of the crash. Since an eyewitness was on the sidelines, they may remember details that you forgot. An eyewitness may not only corroborate your story, but they may assist in establishing the truck driver’s liability.

Video Surveillance

Video footage can show an event happening in real-time. In a truck accident, video may be taken from a nearby business surveillance camera, traffic camera, or dashcam. Footage may be particularly helpful when nobody witnessed the truck accident occur.

Photographs

Photographs of vehicle wreckage, skid marks, the final resting position of the vehicles, nearby intersections, and your injuries can help an investigator piece together missing puzzle pieces. While not as transparent as video footage, pictures can be extremely informative, especially when used by professionals trained in interpreting evidence to recreate an accident (known as an “accident reconstructionist”). When taking photos, be sure to get as many angles as possible with the flash on and off.

A Truck’s “Black Box”

Essentially a memory bank for a commercial truck, an event data recorder (EDR) is a computer device that is installed in commercial trucks that records data prior to a crash. Known as the truck’s “black box,” an EDR records data when the system senses a collision is about to occur. An EDR begins recording five seconds prior to a crash. The data recorded typically includes speed, measurement of engine throttle (the amount of airflow into a car’s engine), stability control, airbag deployment, brake use, and changes in direction. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) relies heavily on EDR data to analyze the cause of an accident as a measure to prevent future crashes.

Police Report

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania requires that a driver involved in an accident contact the authorities if the collision involves any injuries, fatalities, more than $1,000 in property damage, a vehicle that must be towed from the scene, or a driver who fled the scene (known as a “hit-and-run”). Although you are not required to report minor accidents, one of the smartest decisions you can make is calling the police (although the police reserve the right to decline).

The officer who responds to the scene will write down general information about the accident, including the names of involved parties, road and weather conditions, and who the officer believes is at fault. Since the officer did not witness the accident first-hand, the report is considered hearsay and therefore not admissible in court. However, the report can be submitted as part of your insurance claim or by your attorney to use as general guidance if your case does proceed to court.

Speak with Our Harrisburg Truck Accident Lawyers Today

Given the need for goods to be transported to various locations nationwide, truck accidents are happening more frequently each year. If you have been involved in a commercial truck accident, you may be worried about how you are going to pay your mortgage or provide for your family. At HGSK Injury Lawyers, we understand your need for financial relief. To schedule your free consultation with one of our Harrisburg truck accident attorneys, we can be reached online or by phone at (267) 551-8782.