Investigating Trucking Companies
A Lawyer Who Knows How to Find the Truth
Trucking companies can be difficult to deal with after a truck accident. That's because the trucking company likely knows why your truck accident happened - and they will do everything they can to keep that information from you.
But just because they don't want you to know certain information does not mean they can legally keep it from you. In many cases, they must share such information with you or agencies investigating your truck accident. We can use the agency investigation to our advantage in order to get key information as to the cause of your accident and the parties at fault.
When we represent you, we will do everything we can to obtain such information on your behalf, even if it means taking the trucking company to court. We're eager to meet with you at the Law Offices of Stuart L. Plotnick, LLC. We believe in pursuing justice and holding reckless truck drivers accountable for their actions.
Trucking Company Negligence
Some motor carriers give their drivers impossible delivery windows, forcing them to break federal trucking laws in order to make deliveries on time. If a fatigued driver caused your truck accident, it can very often be traced back to an unreasonable or questionable company policy, including a review of the driver logs and black box data, which show the amount of time the truck was on the road between breaks.
Below are some other ways that trucking company negligence leads to truck accidents:
- Inadequate driver training - Truck drivers must go through rigorous testing and training in order to safely operate a large commercial vehicle and obtain special licenses. Carrying hazardous materials or other special types of cargo requires even further training. If a company skimps on this training and allows an unqualified driver out on the road, they can and should be held responsible.
- Inadequate truck maintenance - Trucking companies must perform regular maintenance on their fleet of vehicles to ensure they are in proper working order. If a truck has not passed important safety inspections and it is allowed back out on the road, the company is liable for any truck accidents that occur.
Information We Look For After Truck Accidents
Some of the information trucking companies try to keep to themselves can be very damaging to their case. That's why they do everything they can to keep such data private. This evidence can include:
- Trucking company maintenance records
- Trucking company hiring records
- Truck inspection records
- Truck driver accident records
- Truck driver background checks for substance abuse
- Truck data recording devices, the Black Box and GPS, which can include items such as:
- The truck's speed at the time of the crash
- Amount of time the truck was driven before the crash
- Exact location of the truck before and after the crash
As your attorney, we will not rest until we get the information trucking companies are legally obligated to reveal after an accident.
We Know How to Take On Trucking Companies
Often, trucking companies only have to keep such data for a limited period of time by law. That's why it's critical that you contact our law firm immediately after your accident. Otherwise, you could miss out on your opportunity to obtain the information needed to build a strong legal case.
In addition, you only have a limited amount of time to take legal action after an accident. This time period is known as the "statute of limitations." In Maryland and D.C., the statute of limitations for most accidents causing injury is 3 years; in Virginia, it is only 2 years. That might seem like a long time. But building a strong legal case often takes much longer than many people realize.
The longer you wait, the harder it can often be to find the evidence you need to make your case. Evidence gets stale and witness memories fade. With so much at stake, you cannot afford to wait. You need somebody who is proactive and ahead of the curve. Contact our law firm and schedule your free case evaluation right away.