You may be wondering how you can tell whether a truck driver or other party properly secured the cargo after an accident. In some cases, a legal doctrine called res ipsa loquitur, Latin for “the thing speaks for itself,” may come into play. Under this doctrine, that an event occurred is enough to show negligence. In other words, a court may decide that cargo does not fall off of trucks in the absence of negligence and, while we don't know exactly what happened, the trucking company should pay for any losses victims sustained.​ In cases where res ipsa loquitur does not apply, victims and their attorneys may need to investigate how an accident occurred. An accident investigation may involve examining driver logs, warehouse records, the securement equipment, or interviewing witnesses. A truck accident lawyer familiar with falling cargo cases can determine the evidence you need to win your case.​