After a serious accident, it’s a mistake to assume that the police have conducted a complete investigation and identified all the contributing factors to the crash. Some police investigations are better than others. The reality is that many police departments have limited manpower, resources, and equipment. Commercial truck accidents have complicated contributing factors. The police may overlook something significant during an investigation.
After a truck accident in Indianapolis involving serious injuries, you should seek the help of the seasoned truck accident attorneys at Craig, Kelley & Faultless. Our Indianapolis truck accident attorneys can conduct an independent investigation of a truck accident and work with the police to find out what really happened. Our attorneys have the resources to pursue a truck accident investigation wherever it leads.
The Significance of a Police Report
A police report lists basic information about the drivers involved in a crash and the insurance companies of the drivers. It may have a diagram or description of the accident.
It’s crucial to report any traffic accident to the police and obtain a police report. Without a police report documenting the drivers involved, it will simply be your word against that of the other motorists. A police report is an important document to have, but it may not be the final word on the truck accident.
The Police Report Is Not Infallible
The police may approach the truck investigation from the point of view of whether criminal charges are warranted, such as driving while impaired. If they decide not to file criminal charges against one of the drivers, they may close the investigation at that point.
What a Police Report Can Miss in a Truck Accident Case
Commercial truck accidents are more complicated to resolve because multiple individuals and companies are involved in the operation of a tractor-trailer, including the truck driver, the trucking company, the trailer owner, the cargo shipper, and parts manufacturers.
Mechanical issues often contribute to truck accidents. If a defect isn’t obvious, the police may not have the resources to have a diesel mechanic examine the truck and determine how the defect contributed to the accident.
A police investigation is unlikely to address the issues of civil liability for a serious truck accident.
Understanding a Truck Driver Investigation
The police may not investigate the background of the truck driver and determine whether the driver had proper training and a safe driving record. Some drivers who have had their commercial driver’s licenses revoked in one state use a different name or a different spelling of their name to get a driver’s license in a new state. Unfortunately, it happens.
If a trucking company has hired an unsafe driver and failed to check the driver’s background, the company may be liable for negligence hiring.
Why You Need a Prompt and Thorough Independent Investigation
You should seek the help of an experienced truck accident lawyer promptly after a semi-truck accident. A knowledgeable attorney can act quickly to identify and preserve evidence before it is lost or destroyed. The black box data recorder in a wrecked tractor-trailer may have vital evidence regarding a truck driver’s speed or braking at the time of a collision. Not all police departments have the equipment to download that data from a truck’s event data recorder and analyze it.
Once the wrecked truck is hauled to a scrap yard, that data recorder evidence may be lost.
You cannot assume the police will do a complete investigation. It’s important to work with experienced attorneys who have been down this road many times before and know the types of evidence to seek and preserve during collision investigations before the evidence is lost.
Schedule a Free Case Review with Our Indianapolis Truck Accident Attorneys
The attorneys at Craig, Kelley & Faultless have extensive experience investigating large truck accidents in Indiana and throughout the Midwest. Attorneys David W. Craig and Scott A. Faultless have obtained board certification from the National Board of Trial Advocacy in commercial truck accident law. Only a small number of attorneys nationwide are certified in commercial truck accident law.
Our attorneys understand that people who have been involved in serious truck accidents have had their lives disrupted and are often struggling financially. We care about helping people injured in serious accidents move forward with their lives. Call 800 746-0226 to schedule a free consultation with a truck accident attorney at Craig, Kelley & Faultless.
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