The Problem of Disappering Evidence in Semi-Truck Accident Cases

Semi-truck accidents can be very complex because critical evidence can often conveniently “disappear.” Trucking companies have been known to send their investigators and experts to the scene of the accident within minutes of a collision to protect their driver and trucking company. The big-rig truck can be moved or evidence at the scene can be altered, which could make it harder to prove what caused the accident.

Other pieces of evidence that could be tampered with are the driver’s logbook or the on-board data recorder. These logbooks are maintained by drivers to record the number of hours they have been on the road and compliance with mandatory rest period requirements. These logbooks are routinely manipulated or altered for a variety of reasons, including protecting the company in the case of an accident. A truck driver’s violation of these rules may be important to establishing negligence and proving that driver fatigue was a factor in the semi-truck crash.

Unfortunately, drivers may abuse hours of service rules to increase their earnings at the expense of safety.  In the name of profit, trucking companies often look the other way or even encourage this practice. This results in many overly fatigued semi-truck drivers on the road. This fatigue is a common cause of many semi-truck accidents in Pima County and throughout the United States.