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Every day, when you hop on the Santa Monica Freeway on your way to work, you share the road with 18-wheelers and other large trucks. You do everything possible to drive safely, observing the speed limit, staying out of truck’s blind spots, and signaling your intentions to change lanes. You are well aware that an accident with a large truck—one that weighs 10,000 pounds or more—could cause serious injuries.
In fact, truck accident injuries are on the rise in the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that in 2011, 88,000 people were injured in large-truck crashes—a 10 percent increase over the previous year. Perhaps you have become the victim of one of these devastating accidents. Some of the key pieces of evidence needed to help build a solid semi-truck accident case are:
- Pictures – Pictures are a great way to show what happened and how much damage occurred in the accident. However, truck accidents are often severe and many accident victims are in no shape to take pictures at the scene. Once you have received medical treatment, be sure to ask a family member to help you take detailed pictures of all of your injuries so that you can share them with your attorney. Your attorney can also obtain pictures of the accident scene that were taken by police or the media.
- Witness statements – A witness can confirm your version of the accident and help prove who caused the crash. While collecting witness statements at the scene is best for your accident case, many truck accident victims are unable to do so because they are severely injured. Your attorney will find and interview witnesses who can corroborate your version of the accident while you work on your recovery.
- Medical records – Your medical records are a key component of your accident case. They document the injuries you suffered as well as your long-term prognosis. Your attorney will need copies of these records in order to build a strong case and calculate the value of your claim.
- Expert testimony – Your attorney may use the services of an expert witness, such as a doctor, to testify about your injuries or medical prognosis in order to help strengthen your case.
Be sure to get the compensation you deserve for your semi-truck accident. Read some of our case results to see how we have helped real people—just like you.