Motor vehicle accidents involving trucks injure or kill thousands of people every year. Although personal injury protection offers some financial benefits regardless of fault, recovering any damage beyond this often requires proof of negligence.
While the cause of an accident often seems obvious, many accident victims struggle to get the money they deserve for the crash. This is because demonstrating truck driver negligence can be complex. Truckers will use all of the resources they have available to them to avoid paying compensation to the injured party.
However, there are lots of things you can do to help you prove negligence in a truck accident injury. Here are some of our top tips to help you:
- Contact a Truck Accident Attorney
The most important thing you need to do after being injured in a truck accident is to hire a qualified and experienced truck accident attorney such as these truck accident lawyers Scranton PA. A truck accident attorney will know how to properly investigate and prove truck driver negligence. They will fight to ensure you get the compensation you are entitled to.
- A Thorough Investigation of the Scene Needs to Take Place
In order to prove negligence, you will need to ensure that a thorough investigation of the scene takes place. This investigation will help to prove who caused the accident. Make sure you gather evidence from the scene, take as many photos as possible, and get as many witness statements as possible to support your case. This will help you to win your case should it go to court.
- Find the Cause of the Crash
In most cases, negligence occurs when a driver does something wrong. This can be something as simple as running into the rear of your car or failing to control their speed. Or it can be something as complex as failing to keep the vehicle safe. Some other examples of truck negligence include:
- The driver was overworked
- The driver was distracted
- The driver was tired
- The driver was drunk or on drugs
- The driver had not completed their training
- The driver did not have a license
- The truck was not properly maintained
- The driver of the truck did not have the correct documentation
- The vehicle had been incorrectly loaded
These are just a few of the negligent actions that could contribute to an accident. If the driver lost control of the truck or they were not paying attention, then they might be considered negligent. You must find the cause of the crash to prove negligence. It is not simply enough to prove wrongdoing as the conduct relates to why the crash occurred.
- Ask for a Medical Certificate from the Truck Driver
If you believe that the driver has medical issues that could have contributed to the crash, then it is a good idea to ask them for a copy of their medical certificate. This will reveal whether they have any pre-existing medical conditions. It will also tell you things like whether they have a history of impaired driving and whether they have passed all of their drug and alcohol screenings in the past. All of this information will help you to prove negligence in your truck accident injury case.
Truck accidents can be dangerous and brutal. They kill and injure thousands of people around the world each year, while also causing property damage thanks to the heavy materials and goods they carry. Sustaining injuries due to a collision with a truck may entitle you to compensation from the liable person. However, proving negligence can be difficult. If you have been injured in a truck accident, then follow our advice above. This advice will help you to prove who was negligible for the accident, and it will help you to win your case.