Evidence may be preserved in Jacksonville truck accident lawsuits by collecting it as early as possible to avoid its loss, contamination, or destruction. When necessary, we can also send spoliation letters to relevant parties and request that they preserve important materials.
Our Jacksonville truck accident lawyers act fast to preserve all evidence that may be of use to you in your case.
Acting Promptly Makes It Easier To Preserve Evidence
Many types of evidence are fragile or time-sensitive. Consider the following:
- Video footage from surveillance cameras and similar sources is often deleted on a regular basis.
- Eyewitnesses may start to forget the details of what they saw.
- Physical evidence, like skid marks or debris left in the road, may be cleaned or removed or simply degrade over time.
The earlier you hire legal representation, the easier it may be to preserve critical evidence for your Jacksonville truck accident lawsuit. Here is how our lawyers can collect and save evidence like the above, if given enough time:
- We can visit the accident scene as soon as possible, identify all cameras in the area, and ask the owners of those cameras to turn over the relevant footage.
- We can reach out to witnesses right away and ask if they would be willing to give a statement at their earliest convenience.
- We can examine the roadway and take photos of any marks or objects in the road. We may even have experts examine any debris to see if they can provide additional insights.
Acting fast is also critical because of the statute of limitations. This is a legal deadline that requires you to file your lawsuit within a specific period of time, generally two years. Missing the deadline could mean forfeiting your right to damages, no matter how much evidence you have, so do not delay any longer than it takes to start medical care.
How Spoilation Letters Preserve Evidence
In some cases, third parties may own crucial pieces of evidence. The trucking company, in particular, might have:
- The driver’s logs and employment record
- Internal documents regarding truck inspections and maintenance, and driver training
- Dash cam footage, if the truck had a camera installed
- Black box data, if the truck had a black box installed
The trucking company might be reluctant to share these materials, especially if they know or suspect that they might contain information that proves they were negligent.
Fortunately, we have the option of sending what is called a spoliation letter to anyone who might possess such sensitive materials.
This letter directs the recipient to save certain documents or other materials so that we can examine them. This will ensure crucial evidence is preserved in your Jacksonville truck accident lawsuit.
The At-Fault Party’s Team May Also Request Evidence
Your legal representative is not the only one who has the right to request evidence. The liable party’s insurance company may contact you sooner rather than later, demanding interviews, recorded statements, and any evidence in your possession (e.g., if you took photos at the accident scene, they may want to see those photos).
You should cooperate with the insurer, but not at the expense of your case. Before responding to any of their requests:
- Consult with our Jacksonville personal injury lawyers
- Tell the insurer to send all requests through us
- Let us handle all communications with other parties from now on
- Work with us to prepare for interviews, evidence sharing, and so on
What Is Evidence Used For In Jacksonville Truck Accident Lawsuits?
Our legal team uses evidence to support every single aspect of a case. This includes:
- Who is liable for your crash
- If there is just one at-fault party or several
- If you share liability, which would not necessarily bar you from recovering compensation, but could affect your final payout
- What specific acts of negligence caused or contributed to your injuries
- What kinds of damages you are eligible for
We also use evidence to dispute the liable party’s claims, if necessary. For example, some trucking companies try to blame accident victims for the crash or downplay how serious their injuries are.
The at-fault party’s insurance company will certainly not waste any time in trying to build their case—and neither do we.
What Kinds Of Evidence Do You Need To Preserve To Win A Lawsuit?
With over 9,000 large truck accidents occurring in Florida every year from 2021 to 2024, it is not surprising to learn that every single one of these cases is unique. What types of evidence are available in your case—and what evidence will prove truly useful to securing compensation—is also unique to each situation.
Common forms of evidence that we look for include:
- Photos taken by you, witnesses, or others
- Video footage from you, witnesses, surveillance cameras, traffic cams, or other sources
- Medical records
- Official accident reports from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office
- Cell phone records
- Black box data
- Internal company records
- Prior complaints or convictions against the truck driver or the company
- Witness statements
- Financial paperwork, including your tax filings, relevant bills, and receipts
With the right combination of evidence, we can convince the insurance company to pay you fairly. First, however, we have to make sure that evidence is preserved while it is still readily available. The sooner we begin, the easier it may be for us to protect your rights after a crash in Jacksonville.
Let Our Jacksonville Truck Accident Lawyers Start Preserving Evidence Now
Ready to take back control of your life? Call Anidjar & Levine now. We know how to preserve evidence in Jacksonville truck accident lawsuits, and how to use that evidence to craft a compelling case.
Our team can get you started with a free consultation, during which we will answer all of your legal questions.
