Figuring out exactly what happened in the moments before a truck accident in Texas is one of the most important parts of building a successful personal injury claim. That’s where black box data can be of some assistance.
Most commercial trucks are equipped with event data recorders (EDRs) that capture detailed information about the vehicle’s operation. This data can serve as some of the most compelling evidence available when fault is in dispute.
If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, learning about what black box data is and how it can support your claim is well worth your time. Reach out to our truck accident attorney in El Paso for assistance.
What Does a Truck’s Black Box Record?
An EDR captures a snapshot of what the truck was doing in the seconds before and during a collision. The specific data points depend on the device, but most truck EDRs record things like:
- Vehicle speed at the time of impact
- Whether the brakes were applied and when
- Throttle position
- Steering input
- Sudden changes in velocity
- Airbag deployment timing
Commercial trucks also typically have electronic logging devices (ELDs) that track separate but related information, including hours of service compliance, route history, and how long the driver had been on the road. When combined with EDR data, these records can tell a detailed story about the driver’s behavior leading up to the crash.
How Black Box Data Strengthens a Truck Accident Claim
Truck accident cases frequently involve conflicting accounts of what happened. For example, the truck driver might state they were following the speed limit and had plenty of time to brake. Black box data can confirm or contradict that version of events with hard numbers.
If the EDR shows the truck was traveling well above the posted limit, that’s difficult for the defense to explain away. The same applies if the data reveals the driver never touched the brakes before impact, which could help support a claim for negligence liability. In hours of service disputes, ELD records can also show whether the driver had been behind the wheel longer than federal law allows.
Texas follows a modified comparative fault law, so you can still recover compensation as long as your percentage of fault stays at or below 50%. Objective data from the truck’s black box can go a long way toward keeping the blame where it belongs.
How Does a Personal Injury Attorney Obtain Black Box Data?
The trucking company owns the vehicle and controls access to its data, which creates an obvious concern. EDRs can overwrite older information, and there’s always a risk that records could be lost or tampered with after an accident.
An experienced truck accident attorney can address this by sending a spoliation letter to the trucking company shortly after the crash. This is a formal legal notice requiring them to preserve all relevant evidence, including black box and ELD data.
If there’s reason to believe the company might not comply, your attorney can also seek a court order to have the data downloaded and secured by an independent expert.
Contact a Texas Truck Accident Attorney To Learn More About Your Legal Rights and Options
Black box data can provide the objective proof your personal injury claim needs, but getting access to it requires quick action and legal know-how.
Reach out to our El Paso car accident lawyers from Cal Mundell Law Firm, PLLC today for help and a free consultation by calling (915) 250-0700 or by messaging us online. We can handle your claim from start to finish, including gathering the necessary evidence, while you focus on your health and well-being.