When commercial semi truck drivers have accidents, the truck drivers have a plan to limit or contain the trucking companys liability damage. Often big rig semi trucks are equipped with cameras and the trucks are always equipped with instructions to call the trucking company. This means that that the trucking company will have their own investigator, especially in the case of a serious injury on the way to the tractor trailer accident sometimes before the police are on the way to the truck crash scene.
While a victims family is grieving over the loss of a loved one, a trucking company insurance company is making certain that deserved compensation to the victims family is contested. Because McCutcheon and Hamner handles trucking accident cases and only personal injury cases, we know what to do in handling complex truck wreck cases. We are not suggesting that lawyers who handle divorce work or DUI cases do not know what to in handling truck wreck cases. What we are saying is here at McCutcheon and Hamner, Accident and Injury Lawyers have a tried and tested team of truck accident reconstructionists that is on call 24 hours a day/7 days a week that we call immediately in truck wreck cases, this system has resulted in millions of dollars paid to our clients.
Most commercial cars and trucks, like airplanes have “black boxes”. These are known as Event Data Recorders and they record certain vehicle information. Commercial vehicle data measurement varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Tractor-trailer accidents involve two or three major black box manufacturers, these commercial vehicle black boxes record several days back in time of use, average truck speed, vehicle speed at the time just before the last braking event occured. This is information the trucking company often does not want you to have if you are involved in an accident with their vehicle. (like one of the last cases we had where the truck was traveling 13 mph in excess of the posted speed limit before the driver lost control)
It is very important that the trucking company receive a “preservation letter” so that our truck accident expert can be present when the commercial vehicle data is downloaded and so that the semi truck remains in the same condition it was in at the time of the accident. We have seen cases where truckers used mismatched brakes from the left to right side and other cases where tractor trailer brakes were not within the specifications required by the Department of Transportation(DOT). Obviously, trucking companies do not want people injured in accidents with their vehicles to know these facts.
Cars can have EDRs(black boxes) and some give changes in speed, brake action, accelerator action and whether or not seatbelts were buckled or airbag deployed, when an accident occurs. Obviously, these facts are important when investigating vehicle accidents. Time is of the essence when a serious injury or death occurs in connection with an accident.
If you or a loved one is involved in an accident with a commercial vehicle or any vehicle, call 911-then contact the Accident and Injury team at McCutcheon and Hamner, Personal Injury Lawyers-(256) 333-5000.
