In most modern truck and car accidents, the vehicles contain black boxes that contain evidence of speed, braking, turning, and more, where there is a significant accident event. It is critical that you hire a lawyer to go out and read the black box evidence while it exists, and before vehicles disappear, or are destroyed or crushed.
Every year, more than four thousand truck accidents occur on Minnesota’s roads and highways, leaving many injured victims in their wake. If you have been involved in a truck accident, understanding the events leading up to the crash is crucial for determining liability and will help you pursue justice for your injuries and other losses. One invaluable tool for investigating these dangerous accidents is the black box, also known as an event data recorder (EDR), found in all commercial semi trucks. However, black box data may be challenging to obtain on your own and might be recorded over, making taking action quickly essential.
Fortunately, a skilled truck accident attorney will help you obtain the data you need to pursue justice against the negligent trucker and trucking company. The seasoned attorneys at Knutson + Casey have dedicated their careers to helping truck accident victims in Minnesota hold all negligent parties fully accountable for their physical, emotional, and financial losses. We have over 30 years of experience protecting our client’s rights and interests and will fight aggressively for a favorable outcome on your behalf.
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A black box or Event Data Recorder (EDR) is installed on most modern commercial trucks, and almost all modern cars. This device records essential data about the circumstances surrounding an accident and even generates a crash report when one occurs. While this data can serve as significant evidence for your case, it is often recorded over, and many trucking companies do not preserve black box data for more than 30 days. Additionally, this data is the trucking company’s property, and they may delete the data to protect themselves from liability and to get the truck in question back on the road. For cars, this evidence can disappear with the damaged vehicle.
However, deleting any information that may be used as evidence in a lawsuit may be illegal. When you partner with one of our experienced truck accident attorneys, we will immediately send a notice to the trucking company informing them of the legal action and demanding they preserve the data, called a preservation letter. A skilled lawyer can help you obtain the evidence you need to establish liability and recover damages for your losses.
Black box data serves as objective evidence for your accident claim and provides useful data on the exact circumstances that caused the crash. Some valuable data a black box can provide include the following:
In addition to the information above, the black box can provide a detailed report showing whether the vehicle had any defects that contributed to the crash. Your attorney will work quickly to obtain this data and may be able to use it to build a strong claim to establish the driver and trucking company’s liability. That is why an attorney that can read the black box information should be hired right away.
At Knutson + Casey, our attorneys are dedicated to fighting tirelessly for your rights and interests. We have reviewed hundreds of black boxes for accident information. We understand how overwhelming the aftermath of an accident may be and aim to take the stress of litigation off your shoulders so you can focus 100% of your energy on your healing and recovery. Our attorneys have a proven track record of successfully recovering the maximum compensation available for their clients and are here to help you pursue justice.
To learn more about how one of our trusted truck accident attorneys will help you, schedule a free consultation by calling (507) 344-8888 or completing our contact form today.