What To Do After A Truck Accident
Important steps to take to protect your rights
If you’ve been involved in a truck accident, you can be left with many questions. What happens next? Who should I call? How should I handle this? It’s important that you know your rights. The initial shock can leave you feeling vulnerable and uncertain, and it’s at this time that insurance companies could try to deny you the compensation you deserve.
It’s important to speak to a truck accident lawyer. At Fried Goldberg LLC, we devote over 95% of our practice to collisions involving tractor-trailers (also known as semi-trucks and 18-wheelers) and other commercial vehicles. If you or a loved one are thinking about seeking legal assistance after a crash with a large truck, you’ve come to the right place.
Because of the size and weight of trucks, injuries in an accident can be severe and life-changing. Victims can suffer broken bones, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), and spinal cord injuries. It’s important to have experienced legal representation.
Trucking accidents involving big rigs are not the same as car accidents involving only passenger vehicles, and your lawyer should know the difference. More than that, he or she should have a successful track record defending victims of large trucking accidents. Our attorneys are very familiar with the complexities of trucking litigation and have obtained sizable verdicts and settlements for our clients.
Steps to take after a truck accident
Here are some steps you can take to help protect your health and your right to seek financial compensation.
1. Seek medical attention immediately.
It is important to see a doctor after an accident, even if you don’t seem seriously injured or if you feel fine. Some injuries don’t show physical or outward symptoms right away, or you could be suffering from severe internal damage. Having a medical professional assess your health will also help your attorney know how much compensation to ask for your injuries, if there are any.
Keep record of all medical expenses, including:
- Emergency responder records;
- Emergency room and hospital costs;
- Aftercare documentation, including physical therapy
2. Do not give a statement or speak with the other party’s insurance company.
This is critical, since anything you say or share could later be used against you and significantly hurt your case. At times, insurance adjusters may contact you or even show up to the scene of the wreck to try and gather information from you. They may seem friendly, but they are actually looking out for their own bottom line. It’s important that you do not sign anything or discuss the wreck with anyone without your attorney present.
3. File a police report and obtain a copy.
4. Report the crash to your insurance company.
Do not sign anything or give a written statement regarding the collision without seeking legal advice first. While you do need to notify your insurance company, it’s best to simply give them basic information such as the time and location of the crash, and you are under no obligation to discuss other details. If they ask for more information, you may let them know that you are retaining a lawyer and you will have your attorney get in touch with them.
5. Stay off social media.
As a general rule, stay off all social media and don’t share photos – even of your daily life apart from the accident. In a day where internet users can screenshot just about anything and nothing is actually private on the internet, it is possible for any bit of information to be used against you. It’s recommended that you don’t use social media until you discuss your case with your attorney.
6. Take enough pictures of the scene,
Document the scene of the accident including damage to your vehicle and your injuries. In any way that you can, document the scene as-is and if need be, return to the scene to recount the events with your attorney. Photos are especially effective when supporting your case, as well as names and witness testimonies. It’s also best to write down your own account of what happened as soon as possible. Any and all documentation is helpful.
7. Retain an experienced truck accident attorney.
This may actually be one of the first things you do, since a skilled attorney can guide you through the accident investigation and the rest of the steps to take after the collision. You can be certain that the trucking company involved will have a legal team in action to mitigate their own losses immediately following the accident. An experienced lawyer can help you file a lawsuit to seek financial compensation for all damages in your accident – including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
8. Save any documentation of accident-related costs.
You’ll want to give these to your attorney, as they may be factored into your final compensation amount.
Contact the Truck Accident Attorneys
Dealing with an accident can be overwhelming, and contacting an experienced truck accident lawyer can be the most pivotal step you take in your recovery. At Fried Goldberg LLC, our lawyers have a thorough understanding of truck accident litigation. We also partner with top experts in the medical field to help you get the treatment you need.
If you’ve been hurt in a truck accident, learn about your legal options and get answers to your questions. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.