Black Box Data

Truck Accident Lawyers for Injured Victims in Wheaton and Schaumburg

A truck accident can turn your life upside down in mere seconds. If you have been hurt in a truck accident and wish to seek compensation, it will be your responsibility to prove negligence on the part of the at-fault party. Data from the truck’s black box can be vital in establishing your case and discrediting the defense following a crash. Our Wheaton and Schaumburg truck accident attorneys can help you seek data from the truck’s black box, along with other important evidence, to build a case for damages on your behalf.

Black Box Data

A black box is an on-board information recorder that captures operational data through a truck’s electronic network. The purpose of the black box is to record and store vital data about the physical properties of the truck that is involved in an accident or near accident. Additionally, black boxes are typically equipped with global positional systems (GPS), which can be an important source of information regarding the truck and its journey, including its location right before a crash. While the specific data you can obtain from a black box may vary depending on the engine manufacturer, you can typically gather information about the following:

• The trip distance;
• How long the truck driver was driving;
• The truck’s speed immediately before the accident;
• Whether there was a rapid deceleration or acceleration;
• Whether the brakes were applied;
• Whether the truck driver was using cruise control;
• Whether the truck driver was wearing a seat belt; and/or
• The truck’s tire pressure.

It is important to note that the list above is not exhaustive.

How Black Box Data Can Help You Establish Liability After a Truck Accident

Truck accident victims asserting a claim for damages must establish fault before they can recover any compensation. The vast majority of truck accident cases proceed on the theory of negligence. Negligence, in this context, is the failure of a truck driver to use reasonable care while driving, thereby causing an accident and resulting harm. Reasonable care is defined as how a reasonably competent truck driver would have driven or behaved behind the wheel under the same or similar circumstances. To win a negligence claim, the following elements must be established: the truck driver owed the victim a duty of care (i.e., to drive safely and follow traffic laws); the truck driver violated the duty of care; the truck driver’s violation was a direct and proximate cause of the crash; and the victim suffered bodily injury and/or property damage as a result.

In all Illinois personal injury cases, the plaintiff has the burden of proving his or her case by a preponderance of the evidence. Under this standard, the burden of proof is satisfied when the plaintiff has the greater weight of the evidence. In other words, the plaintiff will win the case if the jury believes that his or her version of events is more likely to be true than the defendant’s version of events. Satisfying the burden of proof requires evidence, and the black box is often the key to essential evidence for the plaintiff in truck accident cases. For example, the data could be used to show that a truck driver was violating the hours-of-service regulations regarding the maximum amount he or she can drive without a break. This information could be critical to establishing liability.

Skilled Schaumburg and Wheaton Attorneys for Truck Accident Victims

If you were injured in a truck accident that was not your fault, you may be able to recover money damages through a personal injury lawsuit. At Therman Law Offices, our hard-working Schaumburg and Wheaton lawyers can potentially use black box data and all other relevant evidence to establish your case. We represent clients from Addison, West Chicago, Elmhurst, Lemont, Westmont, Terrace, Clarendon Hills, Oakbrook, Downers Grove and Lisle. Our lawyers can help you identify your full range of options following an accident. Call us at 312-588-1900 or contact us online.