Even a minor truck accident is a nerve-racking experience, but a crash that causes injuries can have far-reaching effects. Victims may require weeks or months to recover. Some face exorbitant medical bills, which compound the loss of income if they cannot return to work.
If you were injured by a negligent truck driver, you may be entitled to compensation to pay for lost income, health-care bills, and noneconomic damages. However, making a successful claim is a legally complex process.
Your injury attorney will request doctors’ records, the police report, proof of missed work, and other documents to prove negligence, liability, and damages. If the truck had a black box, its data may be a critical piece of evidence to support your claim.
The Electronic Control Module (ECM), or the “black box,” is a standard feature on commercial trucks. Its purpose is to record information, such as the amount of time the vehicle spends on the road, the speed it travels, average speeds, and even how frequently the driver wears his or her seatbelt.
If you are facing steep medical bills and time off work after a truck wreck, contact the Crosson Law Group, LLC. Ken Crosson is a truck accident lawyer in Marietta who can evaluate your collision, gather evidence, structure your claim, and handle settlement negotiations on your behalf.
Call 678-909-0770 to schedule a free initial consultation. Until then, read on to learn how ECM data may strengthen your personal-injury claim:
Obtaining Information from the Black Box after a Truck Wreck in Georgia
In Georgia, you need the vehicle owner’s consent before you can download information from his or her black box. However, according to Crash Forensics, this rule does not apply to every case.
Investigators and truck accident lawyers can use ECM data to identify the cause of a crash. Some vehicle owners intentionally erase this data after collisions, but your injury attorney may be able to prevent this by obtaining a protective order. This is why you should consult a personal-injury lawyer immediately after a commercial vehicle crash.
Proving Breach of Duty after a Truck Accident
Every driver in the United States has a duty to drive responsibly – without endangering others through negligent behavior. The police report should be sufficient for proving that the trucker was in fact driving, which means that he or she had a duty toward you.
If a trucker behaves in a manner that puts the lives of others at risk, such as speeding, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or running a red light, then he or she is committing a breach of duty. The black box data may help your injury attorney prove a breach of duty if, for example, it shows that the trucker was speeding at the time of the crash.
If you were injured in a truck crash that another driver caused, contact the Crosson Law Group, LLC. Ken Crosson is a Georgia truck accident attorney who can gather evidence, interview witnesses, and help you pursue the maximum compensation.
Mr. Crosson is a member of the Cobb County Bar Association, the State Bar of Georgia and the State Bar of Virginia, as well as the bar of the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Call 678-909-0770 to schedule a free initial consultation.