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Why a Log Book is Your Best Friend in a Truck Accident
A log book seems like such a technical detail after a serious truck accident. But the records of what a truck driver did in the days and hours prior to the crash can be a powerful tool to get you the recovery you need.
Truck drivers, both within Michigan and over the road, live by a number of complicated regulations. Laws limit how much they can drive, how long, and how frequently. They also regulate what their trucks can carry, and where. There are special speed limits on freeways that apply only to semis. Most drivers have no idea about all these rules, or what they mean after a traffic accident. But when you suffer a serious injury these rules can help you prove that the accident was the truck driver’s fault.
Fault Still Matters in a No-Fault State
Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance is designed to make sure no one goes bankrupt because of their medical expenses after an auto accident. Your auto no-fault insurance will cover all of your medical expenses and three years of lost wages and attendant care costs.
But the Michigan No-Fault Insurance Act doesn’t cover everything. Truck accidents often cause serious, even life-changing injuries. And recovery from those kind of injuries can take far longer than 3 years. To get ongoing support, and non-economic damages like pain, suffering, disability, disfigurement, and loss of companionship, you will have you will need to file a fault-based Third Party lawsuit.
Using a Log Book to Prove Liability
In a Third Party lawsuit, your recovery depends on proving liability – who is at fault. If a truck driver has violated any of all those regulations, that means she was negligent in the way she was driving. Because a truck driver is required to record all of their trips in the log book, it provides written proof of those violations.
It can be hard to prove that an ordinary driver was too tired or distracted to be driving. But your truck accident attorney can use a log book show the court just how much time the driver who hit you had spent on the road. It can also be used to show maintenance issues or technical problems with the truck or trailer, which contributed to the crash.
Log Books Can Help Find Insurance Sources
A truck driver’s log book doesn’t just tell you about the driver. It also tells your truck accident attorney about the cargo he was carrying. Semi trucks are often covered by the driver’s policy, the company that he drives for, and the company whose cargo is being carried. Because liability insurance applies to Third Party cases, that means there could be more money available to cover your damages.
At Christensen Law, we know the power of the log book. We will use it to establish liability and get you the money you need to ease your recovery for years to come. If you have been in a truck accident, contact Christensen Law today for a free initial consultation.
