If you have been harmed in a truck accident, it is important to get proper medical attention. For truck accidents that are not minor, this means going to the hospital or your family physician for treatment. This blog post will provide steps on what to do if you were harmed in a truck accident and some tips on how to make sure your truck accident claim goes smoothly.
1. Call for medical attention or go directly to a hospital if you are injured
Calling for medical attention is the first thing you should do if you have been injured in a truck accident. Even if your injuries seem minor, it is important to get checked out at a hospital as soon as possible after an injury.
On top of that, this will also be used later on when filing for insurance claims and lawsuits against those responsible for causing the truck accident.
In some cases, people may not want to go to a hospital immediately following an injury because they are afraid of having their trucking company find out about what happened or being sued by others involved in the truck accident. However, going directly to see a doctor can provide valuable information about how serious your injuries really are which could come into play during negotiations with attorneys over liability and insurance claims against trucking companies.
2. Seek legal advice from an attorney who specializes in truck accidents
You should seek legal advice from an attorney who specializes in truck accidents. There are a number of reasons why this is important, the first being that trucking companies have dedicated insurance carriers and attorneys on staff whose job is to defend truckers against personal injury claims –– especially those arising from collisions with other motorists. Also, you should know what is considered a truck in trucking accidents, and if you do not have the best idea, at HelpingInjuredPeople.com you can always take a look to have a better understanding. Which will certainly be needed if god forbid you find yourself in such a situation.
In addition, truck accident cases can be very complex because there may be multiple defendants (drivers or owners of cars involved), they often involve numerous parties that must cooperate with each other, and truck drivers usually work long hours under tight deadlines which means delays in your case could prolong your recovery time for months or even years before you see any money from a settlement or jury verdict if it’s not settled out of court.
It’s also critical to hire an attorney who specializes in truck accidents, rather than one who handles a general practice where truck accident cases are only about .01% of their work.
3. Gather evidence of your injuries, including pictures and videos of the accident scene
If you were hurt in a truck accident, then it’s important to document what has happened by taking photos and/or video footage at the scene so that you don’t lose any information before receiving legal advice. It’ll also help if there is an issue with insurance claims later down the line and they say something like “there isn’t enough proof because we didn’t see anything happen”.
The proof is not just limited to images; audio recordings are equally as effective. You should aim to capture all aspects of the truck accident, including images of truck damage and the surrounding area. It’s also worth mentioning that any injuries you have should be documented through a series of photos as well to show how bad they are.
4. Keep track of all expenses related to the incident
Keeping track of all expenses related to truck accident injuries will help with future insurance claims. If you have been injured in a truck accident, it is important to speak with an attorney as soon as possible after the incident occurs.
When speaking with your lawyer, do not hold back any details about how the truck or truck driver was at fault.
It can be very helpful when discussing what happened during a truck accident if you remember all of the details surrounding the incident and provide these facts to your attorney so that they may use them later on in court. It’s also worth mentioning that most attorneys offer free case evaluations which allow potential clients to discuss their cases without having to worry about paying legal fees before knowing whether or not hiring a particular law firm is right for them.
If you have been in a truck accident, it is crucial to follow these steps in order to best protect your interests. Though the experience of being involved in a car collision with a large commercial vehicle can be traumatic, there are many things that should not happen without first securing legal advice from an attorney who specializes in truck accidents. Keep track of all expenses related to the incident and collect witness accounts by asking any bystanders what they saw at the time of the accident. Report the accident to your insurance company as soon as possible so you don’t lose coverage for injuries or property damage sustained during this wreck.