When you hire a truck accident attorney after experiencing a catastrophic truck wreck, one of the first things they should do is gather all potential evidence of how the wreck occurred. But if you wait too long to hire your attorney, or the lawyer you hire doesn’t collect evidence right away, it can put your case in jeopardy.
After a truck wreck, the trucking company will likely do what it can to protect its business and its employees, even if that means destroying evidence. Sometimes, the representatives of these companies will arrive at the scene of a crash before the police do, so they can begin spinning the story in their favor. If you do not have an attorney who can begin gathering evidence from the wreck immediately, then the trucking company is already winning.
To combat this issue, it is crucial to hire an attorney with the resources necessary to begin investigating the wreck as soon as possible. At Craig, Kelley & Faultless, this comes in the form of our Rapid Response Team.
What is a Rapid Response Team?
A Rapid Response Team is a group of professionals spanning different areas of expertise, like a coordinator, investigator, and a paralegal. They hire an inspector, mechanic, and accident reconstructionist who work together to fully investigate a wreck and begin building a client’s case as soon as the firm is hired. In truck accident cases, time matters, and your attorney must be able to move quickly to begin investigation. The Rapid Response Team ensures evidence is gathered before it disappears.
The member of the team who starts the process is the investigator. When a case comes in, they are sent out to the scene to take photographs, look for yaw marks, and other evidence that can help paint the picture of how a wreck took place. The investigator also looks for nearby cameras that may have surveillance footage of the crash, looks for obstructions, and even uses a dash camera while driving through the scene to show what it looked like. This investigation must begin as soon as possible because it can help legal teams identify the most crucial evidence from a wreck. Once the scene has been documented, the investigator will inform the Rapid Response Team of their findings and advise them on where preservation of evidence letters should be sent.
The Rapid Response Team paralegal is the next important member of the team. When the investigator completes their documentation of a wreck, they ask the paralegal to send out preservation of evidence letters, which demand that the named parties preserve specific pieces of evidence on behalf of the client. If those parties are not cooperating with the preservation of evidence, your attorney may file suit and get a restraining order. These letters must be sent as quickly as possible. They also download all available information about the truck driver and trucking company from the Internet.
The coordinator runs the Rapid Response Team, directing them on next steps, as well as calling in experts on retainer to help with further investigation and evidence gathering. Some of the experts that may be called to assist include truck mechanics and accident reconstructionists. Additionally, the coordinator will work with the trucking company’s insurance adjuster so they can find a time to do an inspection of the vehicles and download any necessary data from them, learn if the wreck was caused by mechanical issues, or find additional evidence inside the vehicle. The firm’s coordinator, Clint Crabtree, also conducts the inspections alongside a mechanic and accident reconstructionist.
Ultimately, the Rapid Response Team moves quickly and efficiently to collect necessary evidence before it disappears. But that can only happen if the attorney is hired quickly enough.
Immediacy is Crucial
The longer you wait to hire a truck accident attorney after a wreck, the more likely it is that the evidence is gone. Even waiting a few days could result in the destruction of evidence before your attorney can begin looking for it. The sooner the lawyer is hired, the sooner the Rapid Response Team can conduct their investigation. And while they may be able to recover some evidence, the most critical pieces of it may already be gone. Don’t wait; hire a specialized truck accident attorney as soon as possible.
After the Crash Podcast: A Legal Resource for Truck Wreck Victims
After the Crash is nationally ranked among personal injury podcasts on FeedSpot. It is the highest-ranked podcast focusing on personal injury resulting from commercial vehicle and truck wrecks.
The podcast was launched over five years ago, in the fall of 2020, by attorney David W. Craig. It educates and empowers listeners in a digestible format. It is primarily aimed at the victims and the families of victims of semi or other large truck accidents.
It is David’s goal to equip listeners with the knowledge necessary to navigate this tough time in their lives. Anyone — truck wreck survivors, legal professionals, healthcare workers, and anyone in between — can tune into After the Crash for free.
A new episode is released monthly, featuring a guest with an important perspective. In each episode, David interviews individuals involved in commercial motor vehicle cases, or experts whose skills are crucial to understanding trucking cases.
Episodes are posted on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon and Apple Podcasts, and the Craig, Kelley & Faultless website.
Get to Know the Guest:
Clint Crabtree is the Coordinator of the Rapid Response Team at Craig, Kelley & Faultless. He has worked with the firm for 17 years, helping build cases for clients experiencing the aftermath of tragic truck wrecks. His expertise has helped countless victims get the justice they deserve.
Watch his appearance on episode 93 of After the Crash on YouTube.
Injured After a Truck Wreck? Craig, Kelley & Faultless Can Help
Attorneys at Craig, Kelley & Faultless are prepared and have the experience to help victims and their loved ones involved in commercial vehicle wrecks through every aspect of their case. Both attorneys David W. Craig and Scott A. Faultless are board-certified in truck accident law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA), accredited by the American Bar Association. The firm also has a rapid response team that works with investigators, reconstructionists and mechanics who immediately collect evidence as soon as the firm is hired. Additionally, two of the firm’s litigation paralegals are board-certified in truck accident law by the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys. As David has said, “We don’t just handle truck accident cases. We specialize in these cases.”
Their team-centered approach puts client needs at the forefront, and several attorneys will work on your case to achieve the best possible outcome.
Reach out for a free case consultation today at (888) 253-5198 or online.
David W. Craig is board-certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, accredited by the American Bar Association in Truck Accident Law. He sits on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (which requires the board certification in truck accident law). He is the managing partner and one of the founding partners of Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. He is recognized as a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer and Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Indiana by the National Trial Lawyers, as well as a Top 50 Indiana lawyer by Super Lawyers. David is the author of Semitruck Wreck, A Guide for Victims and Their Families and It’s Never Been Easier to Hire the Wrong Attorney, both written to help people navigate what comes next after a tragic wreck. He also hosts the podcast After the Crash, where you can gain valuable information about the dangers involving semis and large trucks that do not follow safety protocol regarding speed, weather conditions, maintenance upkeep, etc.
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