Truck accidents are often serious and life-changing. Victims who get into an accident with a large semi-truck or big rig rarely walk away unharmed. They may face a lifetime of pain and suffering, as well as disability.

If you suffered an injury in a truck accident in Montana, it is important to know where you can turn for help. After your accident, you likely got rushed to the nearest medical center with a variety of injuries. As such, you were probably not able to collect and preserve evidence.

The first you need to know is: Don’t worry.

When this occurs, all you need to do is contact an experienced Montana truck accident lawyer like Doubek, Pyfer & Storrar to begin working for you.  Call us at: 406-442-7830.

At Doubek, Pyfer & Storrar, we put experience, skills, and resources to work for you instantly.  This includes gathering evidence that will help you build your case and collect maximum compensation. By retaining an experienced truck accident attorney, you will have someone who can help guide you through the legal process and make sure that you are doing everything possible to prove the other driver’s fault

While you focus on your health and on your recovery, we will begin gathering the evidence that you need. This can include:

  • Photos of the accident scene and damage to the vehicles
  • Eyewitness accounts and testimony
  • Police records and reports
  • Toxicology reports if applicable
  • Video footage of the accident if cameras in the area captured it
  • Preservation letters to preserve:
    • Black box or EDR (electronic data recorders) data
    • Electronic logging records
    • Truck driver work history, violations, and training
    • Truck maintenance records
    • Driver cell phone records

On-Board Electronic Data Records

These days, all long-haul trucks must carry on-board electronic data collection systems (Black boxes). These systems provide valuable information that can get used after an accident. These systems along with other electronic records are especially useful because they provide:

  • Driver’s work schedule
  • Driver’s driving history
  • Actions behind the wheel in the moments before the crash
    • Whether breaks were applied and for how long
    • Corrective steering actions
    • Truck speeds just prior to impact and at impact
    • Direction of travel
    • Whether cruise control was activated
  • Status of critical truck systems
  • Whether airbags deployed
  • As well as the time the truck driver was on the road

The black box in a truck can be incredibly useful in a truck accident case. This is because the black box records critical information about the truck, such as its speed and how long it was driving before the accident occurred. This information can be used by lawyers to help prove who was at fault in the accident.

In addition, the black box can also provide information about how the truck was being driven before the accident, which can be helpful in proving negligence. For these reasons, if you are involved in a truck accident, it is important to make sure that the black box or event data recorder is preserved and collected as evidence.

Unfortunately, trucking companies only keep this data for a limited time or after a certain number of breaking events some of the data can be overwritten.  In some instances, within 30 days of the crash, the information stored on these devices can get wiped and overwritten. That is why lawyers must act quickly to ensure that these devices and the data on them are preserved.  It is critical that an attorney get involved to get the required preservation letters out as soon as possible after the wreck to ensure the data is preserved.

Truck Maintenance Records

Another very important piece of evidence in trucking accident cases is the truck’s maintenance record. These records can show if there were any mechanical problems with the truck that may have contributed to the accident. If there were problems with the truck, this can be used as evidence to help prove negligence.

Sometimes, trucking companies try to cut corners by reducing maintenance costs or the drivers are not properly trained in the first place to inspect their rigs. They may fail to change worn brake pads and tires or fail to check the air pressure in the break system to ensure they are properly working. This is negligent to do this and can result in serious injury or death when those mistakes lead to a crash. If the truck maintenance records show that the trucking company failed to maintain their fleet properly, they can – and should – be held accountable.

What Can You Do to Help Your Truck Accident Case Succeed?

Injured truck accident victims often want to know how they can help their claim succeed. In addition to hiring an experienced Montana truck accident lawyer at Doubek, Pyfer & Storrar there are things you can do to help with your case.

  • Do not fix your damaged vehicle yet – your car may have a black box to download
  • Keep all documents and bills related to the crash
  • Follow your doctor’s treatment plan so you can heal
  • Attend all therapy appointments and fill pain medications promptly
  • Let your attorney talk to all defense lawyers and insurance companies
  • Stay away from social media and don’t post about the crash
  • Retain an attorney immediately to ensure they can advise you on these issues and more and so that the proper preservation letters can be immediately sent to the at-fault truck company.

Don’t Worry About Your Medical Bills

Don’t worry about your medical bills, just make sure you get the treatment you need to heal and recover from the crash.  In Montana the at-fault truck insurance company is obligated to advance pay your medical bills when incurred.  Because of this law, you don’t have to worry about medical bankruptcy as a result of your injuries, you can focus on treating and healing. Your attorney can help with handling any unpaid bills or dealing with re-payment to your health insurer or Medicare or Medicaid after any settlement or verdict.

Contact Our Montana Truck Accident Lawyers

Let Doubek, Pyfer & Storrar obtain maximum compensation for you after a serious truck crash anywhere in Montana.  We are your Montana truck accident attorneys.  To learn more about your legal options, you can fill out a contact form on our website, and we can contact you, or you can call us now at 406-442-7830 and get your immediate questions answered.

We know attorneys are expensive.  But you can take comfort in knowing that you pay us nothing unless we are able to recover for you.

We look forward to hearing from you.  – All of us at Doubek, Pyfer & Storrar.