Were you recently injured in a truck accident? If the accident happened through no fault of your own and the driver or the company behind the truck was clearly negligent, you might be entitled to financial compensation for any injuries or property damage sustained in the accident. But proving fault is easier said than done, and it's important to build your case correctly. To that end, here are some tips to keep in mind for how you might be able to prove negligence in a truck accident case.

The Driver Worked Too Many Hours

There are federal and state laws in play when it comes to how long a trucker can stay on the road. If, after the accident, it becomes apparent that the driver was asleep or otherwise spacing out at the wheel, you should endeavor to acquire the trucking company's hours log in order to see exactly how many hours the specific driver was working. If the driver was forced to keep working past the legal standard, you may be able to hold the company liable for negligence when creating employee schedules.

The Driver Was Distracted or Careless

Just about everyone has a smartphone these days, and plenty of people have snuck a look at the device after getting a text message, even though they know it's a bad idea. Truck drivers, in particular, though, can sometimes have other distractions behind the wheel. Someone on an especially long haul might try packing a portable DVD player or video game system into the cab. Obviously, you would hope these devices, including the phone, would only be used at rest stops, but that's not always the case. If you can prove through video camera footage or eyewitness statements that the driver was operating the vehicle while distracted, you can claim negligence on the driver's part.

The Truck Was Not Serviced Properly

Was the driver alert and paying attention but something went horribly wrong with the truck? Perhaps the brakes gave out or the steering system just didn't get the job done. A good truck accident attorney might be able to pull not just the driver's timesheet but also the service record for the truck being driven at the time of the wreck. If it's clear the company was negligent in making repairs or conducting maintenance, you could again have a successful line of attack for your court case.

To learn more, contact a truck accident attorney.