Role of An Attorney in a DC Truck Accident Case
If you have been injured in a truck accident case in Washington, DC it is likely in your best interest to consult with a DC truck accident lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your case and begin filing your claim. Below is more information on the various things an attorney can do to help you recover damages, to learn more call and schedule a consultation today.
Why Hire a DC Truck Accident Lawyer?
It’s very important to have an experienced truck accident lawyer involved in the case as soon as possible because there are many time-sensitive issues that need to be investigated when an accident occurs. One of the first calls that a person should make if they are involved in an accident is to an experienced truck accident lawyer. This is because an experienced truck accident lawyer is going to know what needs to be investigated as soon as possible. Some critical factors include compliance with safety regulations and industry standards that involve the truck driver, the truck itself, the truck’s load, the driver’s qualifications and training, and the hours of service evidenced by the driver’s logs and any other documentation. A truck accident attorney will also assess the inspection records and monitor any investigation that takes place by outside agencies which may also be involved in looking into the accident.
In addition, records must be available that detail any vehicle maintenance and inspections that were done, as well as on-board systems that monitor the equipment and document activity of the vehicle. Certain GPS tracking systems and similar modules can be investigated for recorded data that reveal information about the operation of the vehicle.
If a load of cargo is involved, then there’s a lot of different information that can be obtained with regards to weight tickets, bills of lading, loading instructions, securement instructions, dispatch instructions, and much of this is required to be kept by motor carrier safety regulations. Thus, knowing those regulations and knowing what has to be kept and what is available for purposes of investigation highlights the importance of having a knowledgeable truck accident attorney involved in the case as early as possible.
Importance of Experience
Truck accident cases require specific knowledge of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations because there are licensing requirements, documentation requirements, regulations affecting equipment in terms of weight, size, and route limitations, insurance minimums, and all kinds of different regulations in terms of training. It’s important for anyone representing a person who has been in an accident with a commercial vehicle to have experience and knowledge of the regulations in handling these cases in order to approach the case effectively.