After every truck accident comes an investigation. Crash investigations are used to determine the cause of the accident, both so that the correct party can be held responsible and to try to prevent similar accidents from occurring in the future. Understanding the steps involved in a typical truck accident investigation can help you know what to expect if you get involved in this type of crash. If you were involved in a truck accident, make sure to contact an experienced San Antonio truck accident attorney for legal guidance and support.
Rapid Response Team Arrives
The rapid response team is a group of professionals who are carefully selected by a trucking company to quickly respond to a truck accident. The response team is responsible for coordinating emergency assistance for victims, investigating and documenting the crash, collecting evidence, and offering legal assistance to the truck driver.
A rapid response team often includes a crash investigator, accident reconstruction expert, forensic professional and defense lawyer. The goal of this team is to determine the cause of the truck accident. However, the rapid response team works for the trucking company. This means its true goal is to help the truck company avoid paying for the accident.
Crash Documentation
Investigators, including the trucking company’s rapid response team and the police, will take steps to document the truck accident in as much detail as possible. This may involve photographing the accident scene before anything is moved or cleaned up. It may also involve searching for traffic or surveillance footage of the accident, speaking to eyewitnesses, and collecting physical evidence from the scene.
Evidence Collection
A major part of a truck accident investigation is evidence collection. Investigators will search for anything they can use to determine and prove fault for the accident. Establishing a personal injury claim requires clear and compelling evidence that a defendant is at fault.
Evidence used to support a truck accident case may include:
- Physical evidence (materials or objects)
- Photographs and videos
- Police reports
- Eyewitness testimonies
- Driver interviews
- Vehicle inspection reports
- Medical records
- Cell phone records
- Driver logs
- Truck maintenance records
- Electronic data
- The truck’s black box
Evidence collection may also involve an investigation of the trucking company, such as obtaining the truck driver’s medical and driving histories and checking the company’s regulatory compliance. A San Antonio personal injury lawyer can help you navigate these complexities.
Truck Accident Reconstruction
One of the last stages in a truck accident investigation is a reconstruction of the crash. A crash expert may be hired to re-create how the collision most likely occurred based on the evidence obtained, such as the location of property damage on each vehicle, road markings or debris at the scene, and eyewitness statements.
Final Report
Once the investigation is complete, an insurance company or law enforcement agency may issue a final report summarizing its findings. This report may include an opinion as to the cause of the accident and any contributing factors. Obtaining a copy of this report can help you prove your truck accident case.
Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer in San Antonio
If an investigation of your truck accident finds that a truck driver, a trucking company or another party is responsible, you may be eligible for financial compensation. Protect your legal rights as a truck accident victim in San Antonio by contacting an attorney as soon as possible.
An attorney can return to the scene of the accident promptly to investigate before any evidence is lost or destroyed. A lawyer can also help you deal with a rapid response team and a trucking company’s insurance provider. You can trust your attorney to prove fault and fight for fair compensation on your behalf.