An 18-wheeler accident is a different kind of emergency than a standard car crash. In addition to getting medical help, you need to understand that the trucking company's defense team may be mobilizing before you leave the accident scene.
At the Scene: Your Immediate Steps
- Call 911 immediately — ensure police respond and document the scene
- Photograph the truck (especially the cab number, DOT number, and license plate)
- Photograph damage to all vehicles and any visible injuries
- Get the driver's CDL information and the carrier's contact information
- Identify and photograph any witnesses and their vehicles
- Do NOT speak extensively with the trucking company's representatives at the scene
The Trucking Company Sends Investigators Immediately
After a serious truck accident, trucking companies dispatch accident investigators — and often attorneys — to the scene immediately. Their goal is to document the scene in the most favorable way for the company before evidence can be preserved or tested by your attorney. This is why calling CDF Law immediately is critical.
Preserving Critical Evidence
CDF Law sends litigation hold letters to preserve: ELD data (which can be overwritten within 30 days), ECM/black box data, the driver's communication logs, dispatch records, drug and alcohol test results (which must be administered after serious accidents under FMCSA rules), and maintenance records.