Investigating Trucking Companies in Mobile, AL
We can make sure evidence isn’t lost or destroyed
Truck accidents can put victims in a difficult position. Not only are you probably dealing with a serious injury and massive property damage, but you're also not just up against another motorist. Instead, your road to compensation for your losses often goes through the trucking company - and they won't give up without a fight. Trucking companies have several key advantages that they can use to deny accident victims the compensation they deserve.
One key advantage enjoyed by the trucking company is that they control much of the evidence that will determine the outcome of your case. That's why you need to contact Dean Waite & Associates, LLC immediately after a truck accident. Truck accident attorney Dean Waite and his legal team know how to investigate trucking companies and secure that critical evidence.
Some of the steps we take to investigate trucking companies include:
- "Black box" data - In many commercial trucks, the "black box" contains GPS data that can tell us the truck's speed and direction of travel at the time of the wreck. The information in the black box may also tell us whether other records were falsified - for instance, the truck's log may claim that the driver took a rest break prior to the accident while the GPS data indicates that the truck was moving at that time. Because this information is the trucking company's property, we need to move quickly to secure it.
- Hours of service (HOS) log - By federal law, truckers are required to follow strict hours-of-service regulations that say they can only work a certain number of hours before taking mandatory rest breaks. The trucking company is required to keep logs of this information, but they only need to preserve those logs for a limited amount of time unless an attorney intervenes. When you retain a truck accident lawyer from our firm, we'll immediately contact the trucking company and make sure they do not destroy the log.
- Hiring and supervision records - Trucking companies are required by law to hire drivers who are licensed, qualified and safe. In too many cases, however, they cut corners in the hiring process and put others at risk. Our investigation will include a review of the trucking company's records to see if they failed to conduct a background check or knowingly hired a driver with a history of drunk or reckless driving; this may lead to a claim for negligent hiring. Likewise, we may have a negligent retention claim if the company learned that the truck driver had a history of unsafe driving, yet kept the driver behind the wheel.
- Maintenance records - An inadequately maintained truck is a danger to its driver and everyone else on the road. Our investigation may reveal that the trucking company knew of issues with the engine, brakes or other safety-critical components of the truck, yet failed to repair them. Or we may find that the truck was repaired but the mechanic did an inadequate job, which may lead to a claim of negligence against the repair company.
- Witness testimony - In many cases, the most important evidence of all comes from people's accounts of what happened. Witnesses aren't necessarily people who saw the wreck itself. Someone who saw the truck driver before the crash may testify that he appeared drunk or fatigued, for example. And sometimes, the key is in the driver's own statements. For instance, if the truck driver appears to not remember the crash, he or she may have been asleep at the wheel.
Remember, injury claims are decided by evidence. That's why we leave no stone unturned in pursuit of all the information we need to build a winning case for our clients. And that's why it's so important that you contact us right away, so we can start our investigation while the evidence is still fresh. Don't hesitate... Call Dean Waite!
If you or a loved one has been hurt in a truck accident in Mobile or elsewhere in Alabama, make the right call. Get an experienced truck accident lawyer on your side. Call (866) 434-5840 to schedule your free case evaluation.