If you are involved in a crash with a large truck, it’s important that you know the steps you can take to prove your case and get compensation as a victim in the collision. One of the ways you can do that is by asking your attorney about getting the truck’s black box.
You might know about black boxes that are in planes, but interestingly enough, many trucks have them as well. While it’s not a federal regulation to have one inside the vehicle, many companies install them for their own protection. If your attorney requests the information from that module and the court agrees, you could get a lot of important information and data about the truck crash from it.
Getting a truck’s electronic logging device
Since there is no federal law requiring the logging device, it won’t automatically be evidence in your case. It’s a good idea to talk to your attorney immediately about getting that information. They will petition the court and ask to get that data, so you can use it in your case.
What will the data include? That will depend on the specific model of electronic logging device held within the vehicle. Some of them have simple data like the speed the truck was going a few moments before the crash. Others will have more detailed information like if the driver was using cruise control or if they had a seatbelt on.
These boxes don’t always maintain information for very long, so it’s essential that you take steps to get the data as soon as possible. Some hold data for 30 days or longer, but others start recording over themselves within hours, days or weeks. Your attorney will take action to prevent the company from overwriting the information or altering it in any way, but they do have to act quickly to have an opportunity to do so.
Depending on the model of the black box, you might be able to get plenty of information to show that the driver was not being safe behind the wheel. If so, it can only bolster your case and help you on your way to a successful claim.
