Trucking crashes can lead to devastating physical, mental and emotional effects for the victims. For instance, the victims may suffer from years of pain, reduced quality of life, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among others. Unfortunately, trucking accidents are very common. For instance, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, there were a whopping 499,000 crashes in 2018 which involved huge trucks, and 4,400 people died from those vehicle crashes. When vehicle collisions occur, the victims or the family members of the deceased victim may be eligible to seek compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit or a personal injury lawsuit. However, to do that, the victims must produce strong and relevant truck accident evidence. If you are a victim of a vehicle collision in Florida and you want to file a lawsuit against the other party, then you will need to hire a lawyer to help you collect the following types of evidence to prove your case.
Accident Reports
An accident report is an important document that can show who the liable party is. The report will include the location and the time of the vehicle crash, the vehicle information, the license of all the vehicles involved, and the crash report diagram of the collision. Additionally, it will include the police officer’s statement and account of the incident. The police officer’s statement will include the factors that he or she believes contributed to the crash, the weather condition at the time of the crash, and the person they believe caused the crash. Moreover, it will include the physical and mental states of every party that was involved in the collision and more.
Video Surveillance Footage
The video surveillance footage can show how the crash happened and the details of the vehicles and the drivers involved. In addition, it can be used to find some of the witnesses that were at the crash scene. This is one of the most helpful pieces of information because you can see when the accident happened and who caused it. The time stamp from the surveillance footage is an important element and can be a solid baseline for your case.
Witness testimonies
When law enforcement officers arrive at the crash scene, they will interview any available witnesses to make a statement. Witnesses’ statements can provide answers on who caused the crash and why it occurred. However, although witness testimonies are usually taken to be used to support a claim, they are not the most reliable evidence. This is because people who witness vehicle collisions only do so from one angle and will most likely not be trying to get every single detail of the incident.
Vehicle recorders
A lot of commercial trailers and vehicles operating in Florida have Event Data Recorders (EDRs), which are also known as black box recorders. These EDRs can provide important information like the speed of the vehicle before the crash occurred, the duration the vehicle had operated before taking a break, and the condition of the vehicle like the brakes. These details can make or break your case. If you have all these details in order, then you can bring a case to a trusted law firm. Here they will review everything and see what they can bring to the table.
Conclusion
If you want to stand a better chance of winning compensation for your injuries, you should work with a professional legal counsel. The legal counsel will use his expertise to collect valuable evidence like witness testimonies, black box recorders, and video footage to strengthen your case and ensure you get your rightful compensation. With those key components, you will be able to bring a strong case to court and receive whatever financial compensation you deserve.
