Home Automobiles What Should I Do If I Am Involved in A Truck Accident?


Image by larrybalian from Pixabay

An ordinary car accident can be a dangerous experience, but things can get exponentially worse in a truck accident. The reasons for this are clear because trucks are much larger and heavier than other vehicles on the road, which means that they are capable of causing far more damage. That is why there are certain steps that you need to take if you get in a truck accident and want the best possible outcome. You can take steps at the scene of the accident, but there are also steps that you should take later on as well.

After the accident, the main thing you should do is to contact a personal injury attorney to help you, especially if the truck driver caused the accident. The lawyer will help you get the compensation you need to take care of any expenses caused by the accident. You will need a lawyer because you will likely be dealing with the trucking company rather than the truck driver. Truck accidents can be complicated, so you should continue reading if you want to learn more about truck accidents.

What You Should Do After a Truck Accident

  1. Call Emergency Services – A truck accident can be very devastating, which is why everyone involved should get medical help as soon as possible. Do not assume that someone else called 911. You should call them yourself if you are able.
  2. Stay At The Scene – If your vehicle is still driveable, then you should still stay at the scene. Not only is leaving an accident scene a crime, but it could end up hurting your case since you are essentially removing evidence from the accident scene.
  3. Record The Accident Scene – That means using your phone to take pictures and possibly video of the damage to each vehicle as well as the accident scene if you can do so. The reason is that a visual record of the accident can help your case when it is time to determine who was at fault for the accident.
  4. Get Important Information From The Truck Driver – You should always get the other driver’s name, address, email, phone number, and insurance information in a car accident. But in a truck accident, you should also get the name and contact information of the trucking company that hired them.
  5. Get Contact Information From Any Witnesses – If there are witnesses to the accident, you should try to get the contact information of at least a few of them. They can provide important information regarding who was at fault, and it might be hard to track them down when you need them if you do not have their contact information.
  6. Be Careful What You Say – It is natural to apologize after getting into an accident, even if the accident was not your fault. Still, you should try to avoid that in a vehicle accident. An apology could be misconstrued as an admission of fault, which could cause the insurance company to reduce or deny your injury claim.
  7. Get Medical Attention – Even if you seem unhurt or only have minor injuries, you should still get a medical evaluation. Some injuries may be worse than they seem or take some time to manifest. An early evaluation will catch those injuries and help to prove that they were caused by the accident.
  8. Contact a Personal Injury Attorney – An attorney can help you to get the compensation you need from the trucking company. They can help you file your injury claim, gather evidence, and negotiate with the trucking company’s insurance company. A personal injury lawyer is invaluable when it comes to truck accidents, so you should contact one as soon as possible.

Featured Image by larrybalian from Pixabay