What To Do After A Truck Accident
A bad truck accident can turn your life upside down. The higher mass of large commercial trucks makes collisions particularly dangerous, often leading to serious injuries for occupants of other vehicles and nearby pedestrians. These injuries can cause numerous legal damages, including bills for medical treatment, lost wages, property damage, and loss of quality of life.
Knowing what to do after a truck accident is crucial for prioritizing your health and financial future. Here are a few steps to take if you are involved in a large truck accident.
Immediate Actions at the Scene
Protecting your health and your finances after a truck accident begins the moment the collision happens. Every decision you make from this point forward could impact your ability to recover from catastrophic injuries and recover fair compensation for damages. Here is what you should do in the immediate aftermath of the truck crash.
Assess the Situation and Check for Injuries
Always keep a cool head and check the status of everyone involved in the vehicle crash. Ensure no one is seriously hurt or in imminent danger. If you can leave the car, you should also check on others at the scene, such as drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.
Call 911: Emergency Services and Police
The next step is to get the authorities on the scene as quickly as possible. You must report the truck accident to the police by calling 911. This call is when you can request medical attention for yourself or others involved in the accident. When the police arrive, they will cordon off the area for everyone’s safety.
Stay at the Scene
In most states, it is a felony to leave the accident scene, especially if there are injuries or property damage involved. While waiting for the officers to arrive, you should exchange information with the other drivers. This should include insurance information, contact details, and driver’s licenses. You can also begin documenting the scene by taking photos and videos of the area.
Documenting the Accident
Documenting the accident is crucial, especially if you pursue an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party. The more information you gather at the scene, the easier it will be to build a strong case for fair compensation.
Gather Information
The first data you should collect is information about everyone involved and witnesses of the truck accident. Driver and vehicle details should be your priority, so ask for insurance details and driver’s licenses. Then, if there are potential witnesses to the truck accident, take down their contact information and record their statements. This data will be essential when you gather evidence for your truck accident lawsuit.
Take Photos and Videos
You should also take as many photos and videos of the scene as possible. Record the vehicle damage, bodily injuries, skid marks, road conditions, nearby traffic signs, and other relevant surroundings. This evidence could help accident reconstruction experts create an accurate narrative of the accident to support your claim.
Record Details of the Incident
Write down other facts regarding the circumstances of the accident. You can also record yourself speaking these details out loud. What happened in the build-up to the truck accident? What did you notice about the weather conditions or road hazards? Did a vehicle cut you off and cause the accident?
Think about how the truck accident played out from your perspective and what happened afterward. Since this information is fresh in your memory, it is more likely to be accurate if you record it immediately.
Obtain a Copy of the Police Report
The police conduct investigations of all motor vehicle accidents to create official reports. This police report will be critical evidence supporting your negligence claim. You can typically request a copy of the police report at the local police department or through an online documentation system. If you need help acquiring this report, you can always rely on your truck accident attorney.
Seeking Medical Attention
Medical care after truck accidents occurs either at the scene of the accident or in the days and weeks following the collision. Seeking medical attention is essential to prioritize your health and build a case for legal damages.
Even if You Feel Fine, Get Checked Out
Ideally, emergency responders provide immediate medical attention after the collision. However, even if they did not detect any dire injuries, that does not mean you have suffered no physical harm as an accident victim. No matter how you feel, schedule an appointment to check for internal injuries and delayed symptoms. Keep a record of all types of treatment to support a potential legal case.
Follow Your Doctor’s Recommendations
Do whatever your doctor tells you to do for a treatment plan. Ignoring their recommendations could be the defense the liable party needs to undermine your attempt at recovering compensation. Attend all follow-up appointments and follow every step of the treatment plan to promote a positive injury recovery experience.
Document All Medical Expenses
Document everything related to medical care. Keep all your medical bills, prescription paperwork, therapy documents, and medical evaluation results to strengthen your case with evidence.
Dealing with Insurance Companies
Insurance plays a significant role in the aftermath of truck accidents. Knowing how to deal with insurance companies will help you endure a more straightforward experience with compensation for damages.
Notify Your Insurance Company
First, you should notify your insurance company about the accident as soon as possible. Report the details of the accident, answer their questions, describe the nature of your injuries, and cooperate fully with their truck accident investigation.
Notify your insurance company promptly after the accident and of any injuries sustained. Cooperate fully with their investigation, providing all requested information and documentation to ensure your claim is processed smoothly.
Don’t Admit Fault or Discuss Details
Your entire case could be destroyed by admitting fault to someone. It is better to stick to the facts and avoid speculating about whose fault the truck accident was. Leave it to truck accident attorneys to handle all communications with the insurance companies of all drivers involved in the accident.
Keep a Record of All Interactions
Whenever you communicate with an insurance adjuster or representative, you should record as much information as possible about what was said. Record the date and time of the communication and the names of the representatives. Take notes on what was discussed during these conversations. This information could be helpful for your truck accident lawyer.
When to Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer
Suppose you get into an accident involving a truck driver, and their negligence caused the collision. In that case, you may want to consider hiring a truck accident lawyer to handle your case. Here are a few instances where a truck accident attorney can help.
Serious Injuries or Fatalities
Severe injuries, fatalities, and complex liability issues are all signs that you may need a personal injury lawyer. An experienced attorney can guide you through the claims process, help you build a strong case, and negotiate for total compensation for damages. Professional legal representation can also help you focus on recovery from complex injuries.
Disputes with Insurance Companies
Insurance companies tend to avoid large payouts at all costs. This might mean they deny your claims, provide inadequate offers, or use unfair tactics to undermine your case. With an experienced truck accident lawyer in your corner, you will have the assistance you need to navigate these complicated waters.
Legal Complexities
A motor vehicle accident of this nature could involve a large trucking company, multiple vehicles, and complex trucking regulations. Your accident case could also pit you against several parties, such as the truck driver, other drivers involved in the collision, the trucking company, an insurance carrier, or even a truck manufacturer.
The more complex your case is, the more necessary it is to have a trusted legal team on your side to navigate federal trucking regulations and laws.
Taking Steps Toward Recovery and Justice
An accident involving a truck driver can have devastating consequences for injured victims. Not only will you face a long physical recovery from severe injuries, but the financial recovery can be overwhelming as well. Your best chance of winning compensation after trucking accidents is with a team like Mitch Grissim & Associates by your side throughout the claims process.
If you need help with how to proceed with your claim because there are multiple vehicles involved or the truck company has vast resources, contact us today for a free legal consultation about your case. Call our office at 615-255-9999 or complete the contact form to access your free consultation.
