Importance of Preserving Evidence in a Truck Accident Case
If you have been involved in a truck accident, seeking medical care for your injuries always come first. Your health is extremely important, so you should never wait or not seek medical care. Once you have done so, the next step after seeking medical care is to begin preserving any and all evidence pertaining to your case. Evidence is absolutely essential to proving who was at fault in a truck accident--or any accident for that matter. Credible evidence will help you determine the severity of the damages and will also help in pursuing justice and compensation for your losses.

Our team of Torrance truck accident attorneys know how pivotal evidence can be to one’s case, which is why we take it very seriously. We know what key evidence will play a big role in determining who is responsible for the accident. If you have been the victim of a truck accident, you need to get in contact with our skilled truck accident lawyers Torrance as soon as possible. The sooner you get in contact with a lawyer, the sooner they can do their job to preserve the evidence needed for a successful case.
Types of Evidence Needed in a Truck Accident Case
There are several types of evidence that is needed and can be very helpful in a truck accident claim. Following your accident, your team of truck accident attorneys Torrance will make use of certain evidence to establish the responsible party in a truck accident:
Black Box Information
Commercial trucks are provided with a black box device, which is a device that records certain information while the vehicle is moving. The information provided in a black box includes the following:
- Vehicle speeds
- Tracking system
- On-board recordings
- GPS records
- Braking information
- Gear shifts
- Operating hours
- Driver reports
This information is imperative in proving liability for the truck driver and the truck company. It is essential that truck companies are equipped with black box devices in their vehicles, as it is required for them if they are commercial vehicles.
Trucking Company Records
When it comes to trucking company records, it is required for trucking companies to keep electronic and paper records on file at all times. This information will play a pivotal role in evidence to help with your claim:
- Daily, annual, and roadside inspections
- Maintenance records
- Driver’s daily logs
- Driver’s employment and training records
- Bills of lading
- Dispatch records
- Insurance information
- Truck weight records
- Inoperative records
- Federal and state inspection records
Truck Accident Reports
Additionally, your truck accident lawyer will be able to request a copy of accident records, which will show the following:
- Accident location, date, time, and conditions
- Who was responsible for the accident, according to the officer
- Names and contact information of the witnesses
- Tickets from the accident
- Arrests made from the accident
- Photos taken from the accident
How to Preserve Evidence to Protect Your Claim
A team of Torrance truck accident attorneys will play a huge role in preserving evidence in these types of cases. Your lawyer will do everything from requesting evidence from the truck company, law enforcement agencies, and more. In addition, your lawyer will send a spoliation letter, which is a formal notice that tells the party to preserve certain evidence that pertains to your case.
Once the spoliation letter is received from the other party, the other party is required to keep the evidence. If for some reason they choose to destroy the evidence, they could face serious criminal charges, such as fines, punitive damages, and a huge loss in court. Spoliation letters are essential in order for evidence to be preserved.
Speak to Our Truck Accident Lawyers Torrance Today
If you or a loved one was injured in a truck accident, do not hesitate to reach out to us at Molchan Law. We will get you the help you need and will bring justice to you and your family. We understand how stressful it can be to handle these types of cases alone, which is why we are here to help every step of the way. Feel free to contact us any time for a free, no-obligation consultation with a reputable personal injury attorney in Torrance.