Tractor-Trailer Collisions

When a trucking company puts a truck driver on the road, the company has a duty to the public to ensure that its drivers are qualified and well-trained and that its company policies encourage safe driving behaviors. They are also responsible for conducting adequate background checks of a driver’s record, including any past alcohol or drug-related driving convictions or loss of commercial driver’s license status.

Unfortunately, many trucking companies fall short of or deliberately ignore this goal. Tractor-trailer drivers are sometimes forced to drive for unreasonably long periods without rest to boost the company’s bottom line with quick deliveries. These drowsy drivers are much more likely to cause a collision on the road, and when truck drivers take drugs or supplements – whether legal or illegal – to stay awake, the risk is even greater.

Unlike many car accident cases, high-impact trucking accident cases need immediate, extensive investigation. For example, your attorney may want to retain an accident reconstruction engineer to immediately perform a skid mark analysis or investigate other physical indications of how the crash occurred at the scene. 

Additionally, “spoliation” letters must be sent to ensure the trucking company does not lose or purposely destroy critical evidence, such as black box data. These letters inform the truck driver’s employer that it must preserve such evidence.