After a Truck Crash, Evidence Doesn’t Wait.
Trucking companies often start investigating right away. Driver logs, black-box data and camera footage can show what really happened, but some of it is not kept forever. Here is what matters and how to protect it.
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Interactive checklist
Truck Crash Evidence Checklist
Some steps are yours. Others are things a lawyer requests from the trucking company.
Why it matters
The USDOT number identifies the carrier and its safety record.
Why it matters
Trucking cases often involve more than one company: the driver, the carrier and sometimes the owner of the trailer or cargo.
Why it matters
It lists the units, insurance and the officer’s first take on what happened. Learn how to read it.
Why it matters
Independent witnesses can be hard to find later.
Why it matters
Asks the company in writing not to destroy logs, data or video. It is one of the first things we do.
Why it matters
Show how long the driver had been on duty and driving. Fatigue is a common factor in truck crashes.
Why it matters
Can show speed, braking and throttle in the seconds before impact.
Why it matters
Many trucks record the road and the driver. Footage may be recorded over if no one asks for it.
Why it matters
Brake, tire and lighting problems can point to the company, not just the driver.
Why it matters
Shows whether the driver was properly licensed, trained and tested.
General information, not legal advice. Every case is different.
Inside a truck case
The Evidence That Often Decides Truck Cases
Commercial trucks are covered by federal safety rules. That creates records a regular car crash doesn’t have.
Driver logs (ELD)
Electronic records of driving and on-duty hours.
ECM “black box”
Speed, braking and engine data before the crash.
Camera footage
Road-facing and driver-facing video.
Maintenance records
Inspections, repairs and known defects.
Driver qualification file
License, training, medical card and history.
Drug and alcohol testing
Post-crash tests required in many serious crashes.
Free attorney help
We can help preserve the evidence.
We can help you ask the trucking company to keep the logs, black-box data and video before they are lost. Free case review, no attorney fee unless we recover for you.
See an example
What a Driver’s Daily Log Looks Like
Hours-of-service logs track every minute of a driver’s day. The numbers show what we look for.
Sample for illustration only. This is not a real document or a real client’s case. Personal details are blacked out to show what to look for.
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Read the Forbes featureFAQ
Questions About Truck Accident Evidence
What evidence matters after a truck accident?
Driver hours-of-service logs, electronic logging device and black-box data, dash-cam and nearby video, inspection and maintenance records, and the driver’s qualification file can all matter.
How long does a trucking company keep its data?
Some records may only be kept for a limited time, and video can be recorded over. That is why it helps to ask early, in writing, for the evidence to be preserved.
Who can be responsible for a truck crash?
Depending on the facts, the driver, the trucking company, a cargo loader or a maintenance company may share responsibility.
How long do I have to file a truck accident lawsuit in Georgia?
Georgia generally allows 2 years from the crash to file an injury lawsuit. Some exceptions exist, so talk to an attorney as early as you can.
General information, not legal advice. Every case is different.
