DAC reports may be available for truck drivers and those with Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs). These reports may contain information about a driver’s license, past violations, and other details about their driving history. Depending on what is in a report, it may be useful in a Maryland truck accident lawsuit.
A DAC report is not itself evidence of the truckdriver’s negligence in your specific accident. However, the report may contain information about past accidents and negligent behavior. Depending on what is in the report, we may be able to establish a pattern of negligent behavior from the trucker. We might also prove that the trucking company that employed the trucker was negligent for hiring them in the first place.
For a free legal assessment to begin your case, contact our Maryland truck accident attorneys with Rice Law at (410) 694-7291.
How Can DAC Reports Be Used in Maryland Truck Accident Lawsuits?
DAC reports may shed light on a trucker’s past bad behavior on the road. Some drivers have a pattern of negligent behavior that is reflected in their DAC report. Trucking companies typically review DAC reports when hiring, and they may be held responsible for hiring drivers unfit to drive.
Impeachment of the Trucker
A DAC report itself is not necessarily evidence of a trucker’s negligent behavior in your specific accident. The report may only show records of past accidents and safety violations. However, the trucker may argue that they are a very safe driver and did not cause the accident. If their DAC report shows a history of accidents and safety violations, our Maryland truck accident attorneys can use it to impeach their testimony.
Negligent Hiring or Entrustment
DAC reports may show that the trucker was dangerous on the road. These reports are accessible to trucking companies when they hire new drivers, and they should review them to ensure they hire qualified, safe truckers.
If the trucker’s DAC report shows a long history of dangerous negligence, but the trucking company hired them anyway, we may be able to argue that the trucking company should be held liable for negligent hiring or entrustment.
Demonstrating a Pattern of Behavior
While a past act of negligence or a safety violation is not evidence of the truck driver’s negligence in your current accident case, multiple past incidents may form a pattern. For example, we might believe that the trucker in your case caused the accident because they were testing while driving. While a single past texting-while-driving incident may not be used to prove culpability for the new accident, a series of texting-while-driving violations may form a pattern of behavior we can use to support your case.
What Information May Be Contained in a DAC Report?
A DAC report contains various bits of information about professional truck drivers. Details about their license, driving record, and any history of violations or accidents should be included in the report.
History of Safety Violations
Safety violations and accidents should be listed in a trucker’s DAC report. The more violations and accidents that are listed, the worse the trucker may look. Again, a single past accident is not evidence of liability for a new accident. However, when a driver has multiple similar violations or accidents in their record, it may indicate a pattern of negligence that we can use to support your claims.
Driving Restrictions
The report should also contain details about driving restrictions. Some driving restrictions are relatively minor and ordinary, such as those requiring drivers to wear glasses or contacts. Other restrictions may be more serious, such as alcohol restrictions or even license suspensions. We may need the DAC report if the trucker caused the accident while driving in violation of some restriction on their license.
CDL Status
Truckers must have valid CDLs to drive professionally. Certain violations may cause a trucker’s CDL to become suspended, or they might lose their CDL entirely. If the report shows that the trucker did not have a valid CDL at the time of the accident, this may be very damaging information against both the trucker and their employer.
FAQs About Using DAC Reports in Maryland Truck Accident Cases
How Do I Obtain a Copy of a Trucker’s DAC Report?
Only truckers and their employers may have access to DAC reports, as these are considered protected and confidential records. However, if we believe the reports are relevant to your truck accident lawsuit, we may request copies through the discovery process of your civil case.
What Information May Be in a DAC Report?
The information in a DAC report may contain details about licensing, accidents, safety violations, and driving restrictions. If the trucker has a history of accidents or violations, that information should be in their DAC report. Similarly, if their license is ever under restrictions or suspended, the DAC report will tell us.
How Can a DAC Report Help Me After a Truck Accident?
A DAC report may show us that the trucker in your accident has a history of similar accidents or acts of negligence behind the wheel. This may help us establish a pattern of negligent behavior we can use to support your case. The DA report may also show that the trucker was unfit for the job, and their employer may be held responsible for negligent hiring.
Are DAC Reports Required in Truck Accident Lawsuits?
Not necessarily. While DAC reports can provide useful information about the truck driver, they are not required to file a lawsuit for a truck accident. Many drivers have clean records and nothing of note in their DAC reports, making them somewhat useless in a lawsuit. However, that does not mean we cannot find other evidence of their negligence.
Can I Still Sue a Truck Driver if There is No Useful Information in Their DAC Report?
Yes. It is possible that a DAC will be of little use because the trucker either has no history of violations or is new to the industry and has not worked long enough to have a lengthy DAC report. Even so, the lack of a history of negligence does not prove that negligence did not occur this time, and you can still sue for your injuries.
Contact Our Maryland Truck Accident Lawyers for Legal Support
For a free legal assessment to begin your case, contact our Fort Washington, MD truck accident attorneys with Rice Law at (410) 694-7291.