In every trucking accident case, its important to request the production of Trucking Company documents about the driver, documents about the vehicle and documents about the Company who owned the truck.
At a minimum from the company ask for:
Any documents prepared in the ordinary course of business as a result of the events depicted in the Complaint;
Any photographs of the vehicles involved in the collision or the scene;
Copy of the Employee Handbook;
Copy of the Safety Manual in effect at the time of the accident.
Any Drivers Manuals;
Any and all insurance policies in effect, whether underlying or umbrella policies;
Any and all lease agreements or contracts in effect regarding the vehicle;
Any contracts regarding indemnification between defendant and any other defendant or entity;
Any documents documenting insurance coverage of the vehicle or regarding any reservations of rights concerning the subject accident;
Any written or signed statements given by the Plaintiff, Defendant or any witnesses regarding the accident or regarding property damage;
A copy of the accident register of the company for the past 3 years as is required by 49 CFR 390.15
Any documents or visual aids used in the company’s Safety Training Program.
The next blog will discuss specific documents that should be requested about the truck involved in the accident.
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Trucking Accident Lawyer. Call me anytime at 916-921-6400 in Sacramento or 800-404-5400 Elsewhere for free friendly advice. Read more about my firm on Yelp or Avvo.