Truck accidents often result in catastrophic injuries. If you or a loved one has been involved in one of these wrecks, then you know that reality all too well. These injuries can leave a victim disabled, in excessive pain, and unable to live the life that they once enjoyed. Their financial resources can be quickly drained, too, leaving them at risk of losing everything that they’ve worked to acquire.
Although truck accident victims can easily slip into despair, feeling like there’s no hope for the future, they can find a sense of justice and financial relief by taking legal action against those responsible for the wreck. But at a time when they’re trying to recover from their injuries, these victims can find the thought of legal action overwhelming.
That’s understandable. However, we find that a lot of the stress associated with building a personal injury case is tied to the uncertainty of the process. That’s why in this post, we want to briefly look at some steps that a victim or their loved one can take to start building a successful truck accident case.
What can you do to start building a truck accident personal injury case?
While you might be feeling lost in the aftermath of your truck accident, there are concrete steps that you and your attorney can take to start building your case. This includes doing the following:
- Subpoenaing trucking logs: Truckers are required to log their daily driving to ensure that they comply with federal hours of service regulations. If you can get your hands on these records, you might find that the trucker who caused your accident was beyond the maximum hours of allowable driving. This is evidence of a federal trucking regulation violation, and it could serve as a strong basis for a negligence argument.
- Subpoenaing maintenance records: Semi-trucks should be subjected to routine inspections. In fact, drivers should inspect their rigs post-trip and report any defects to their employer. These safety issues should then be corrected before the truck is allowed back out on the road. If you can read through maintenance records, though, you might find that all too often defects go uncorrected, putting innocent drivers like you at risk of harm.
- Gathering witness statements: Witness testimony could be key to your case. But you don’t want the witnesses in your case to forget what they saw. Yet, that happens over time, which could jeopardize your case. So, as soon as possible, reach out to witnesses and get their accounts in writing so that you and they can refer back to them when needed.
- Identifying experts: You might need experts in your case to help you prove how the accident occurred, who was responsible, and the extent of your injuries. This means that your case may require an accident reconstruction expert, a medical expert, or even an employment expert who can help you prove your lost wages damages.
- Writing in a journal: Non-economic damages such as pain and suffering and lost enjoyment of life can make up a significant part of your losses. These damages can be hard to prove, but keeping a written journal of how your injuries have reshaped your life can be powerful evidence.
Aggressively pursue the compensation you deserve
Although a truck accident can completely reshape your life, a truck accident personal injury lawsuit may be able to give you closure and the support that you need to focus on finding a new normal. If you’re ready to impose liability, then, start thinking about how to build the aggressive legal arguments you need on your side to be successful.
