If you are involved in a collision with a tractor-trailer or other commercial truck on I-84, I-91, or another Connecticut roadway, the clock starts ticking the moment the wheels stop spinning.
While you are focusing on your injuries and seeking appropriate medical care, the trucking company that owns or is legally responsible for the truck likely already has a response team working to protect their interests and minimize liability.
One of the most powerful pieces of evidence in your case is hidden deep inside the truck: the Event Data Recorder (EDR), commonly known as the “Black Box.”
Why the First 24–48 Hours Are Critical
Unlike a passenger vehicle, commercial trucks record a massive amount of data about the moments leading up to a crash. However, this data is not permanent. Here is why you must act within the first 24 hours:
- Data Overwriting: Most black boxes record on a continuous loop. If the truck is put back into service or even moved to a repair yard, new driving data can overwrite the crash information in as little as 30 days – sometimes much faster depending on the system.
- Engine Cycles: Some systems only store data for a specific number of ignition cycles (starting and stopping the engine). If a mechanic starts the truck several times during an inspection, your evidence could vanish forever.
- The Purge Window: Federal law only requires trucking companies to keep certain records, like driver logs, for six months. Without a legal intervention, they may destroy this data as part of their routine record retention policy.
What the Black Box Reveals (The “Silent Witness”)
In a Connecticut courtroom, a truck driver’s testimony often contradicts that of the accident victim. The black box provides an objective truth that is hard to argue against. It records:
- Vehicle Speed: Exactly how fast the truck was going at the moment of impact.
- Braking Patterns: Did the driver hit the brakes, or was there no attempt to stop?
- Steering Inputs: Sudden swerves that may indicate a distracted or fatigued driver.
- Cruise Control Status: Whether the driver was using automated systems in heavy traffic.
The Solution: The Letter of Spoliation
To stop the destruction of evidence, your attorney must immediately send a Letter of Spoliation (also known as a Preservation Letter).
This is a formal legal notice that creates a legal duty for the trucking company to preserve the truck and all electronic data. If they destroy or “lose” the data after receiving this letter, a Connecticut judge may issue sanctions, such as an adverse inference instruction. This tells the jury they can assume the missing evidence would have proven the trucking company was at fault.
Don’t Wait—The Evidence is Moving
If you’ve been injured in a truck accident on I-95, I-84, I-91 or any other Connecticut roadway, you cannot afford to wait. The trucking company is already building its defense.
Call our Hartford office today at 860-232-3000. We can issue a Letter of Spoliation within hours to ensure the “silent witness” in your case isn’t silenced forever.
Amounts Recovered for Clients Can Be Higher in Truck Accidents
Accidents caused by large trucks, tractor-trailers, and other commercial vehicles are different than car crashes – both in terms of the harm that can be inflicted and the compensation that can be obtained.
Injuries to drivers and passengers in cars, light trucks, and SUVs are often more severe in truck accidents because of the size and weight of these large vehicles, and the available recoveries for those injured also can be higher, often significantly.
Rome Clifford Katz & Koerner has secured seven-figure recoveries for clients in truck accident cases, including a $1.125 million result in a case involving a major trucking company.
See our Personal Injury post about truck accidents to learn more.
Your Trusted Connecticut Accident Law Team
The highly experienced injury law attorneys of Rome Clifford Katz & Koerner will help you pursue the compensation you deserve for medical bills, potential future medical costs, physical and emotional pain and suffering, lost wages from missed work, disability issues, and other challenges resulting from a truck accident.
We serve clients across Connecticut in all types of accident cases – including car, truck, and motorcycle accidents, as well as all other types of Personal Injury cases, including slip-and-fall accidents, injuries caused by unsafe property conditions, construction and workplace accidents, product liability matters, fatal accidents, and medical malpractice.
The firm holds a Tier 1 rating for Personal Injury from Best Law Firms® and injury team Partners Rome and Steven Katz are honored in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for their work on personal injury cases.
Attorney Rome, Partner Chris Sica, and Attorney Joe Serrantino, are honored as Connecticut Super Lawyers for their injury case work.
Anyone seeking a free, no obligation consultation about an injury case may call us at 860-232-3000.
Prospective clients may also directly email Attorney Rome at arome@rckklaw.com, Attorney Sica at csica@rckklaw.com, or Attorney Katz at skatz@rckklaw.com.
About RCKK Law
Rome, Clifford Katz & Koerner is a Hartford-based law firm whose attorneys collectively have nearly 100 years of experience in a wide variety of legal areas. Whether you are dealing with a motor vehicle accident, a Workers’ Compensation injury, or a Family Law matter, our skilled lawyers will aggressively advocate on your behalf. We represent individuals and businesses in Connecticut and throughout the New England states