Steps to Take Following a Truck Accident
There are certain steps that every accident victim should take following a serious truck accident. Those actions include the following:
Call Emergency Services
Immediately following your involvement in a truck accident, you should call 911 and summon emergency responders (e.g., police, ambulance, fire, etc.) to the accident scene. If you are incapacitated or otherwise unable to call emergency services on your own, you should have someone call for you.
Exchange Insurance Information With All Other Involved Drivers
Following your involvement in a Lafayette truck accident, you should immediately exchange your driver’s license and insurance information with all of the other drivers involved in the accident, including the truck driver.
This information is necessary in the event you plan to initiate a truck collision claim or lawsuit later on.
Speak to Witnesses at the Scene
If there are any eyewitnesses still present at the accident scene—and if you are able—you should speak to them about what they observed in the accident, including vehicle directions and vehicle speeds.
You should also record all witnesses’ contact information, including telephone numbers and email addresses. In the event the trucking company’s insurer disputes fault for the accident, these witnesses could become very important.
Speak to a Police Officer About What Happened in the Accident
You should speak to an on-scene police officer about your version of what happened in the truck accident.
You should also make sure that the police officer memorializes what you say in a police report. When a trucking company disputes liability—or fault—in a truck accident claim, the police report can become an important piece of evidence.
The police officer who came to the accident scene may also be able to testify as a witness if the case proceeds to trial.
Visit the Emergency Room
Immediately after your involvement in a Lafayette truck accident, you should visit a local emergency room to get checked out.
You should either go in an ambulance or have someone you trust to drive you there. While there, you should be thorough about all of the pain and symptoms you are experiencing.
Even if you are not experiencing significant pain or discomfort following a truck accident, you should still follow up with a medical provider.
This is because symptoms of injuries usually do not appear until a day or more after the accident occurred.
If you do not seek this initial medical care, it will appear as though your injuries were not all that significant to warrant monetary compensation.
Follow the Emergency Room Doctor’s Treatment Recommendations
The emergency room doctor will often prepare a list of discharge instructions to be given to the patient at the time they are discharged home.
You should be sure to follow all of these treatment recommendations, especially concerning future medical care and treatment.
For example, if the emergency room doctor recommends that you follow up with your primary care doctor or physical therapist, you should do so as soon as possible.
Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer
Retain an experienced Lafayette truck accident law firm to assist you with your case ASAP. The knowledgeable team of truck accident attorneys and legal professionals at Stewart J. Guss Injury Lawyers
Our experienced attorneys have represented hundreds of victims of truck accidents and we know the ropes of negotiating and litigating these serious accident cases.
Our team will advocate for you and can handle all of your case’s legal aspects. This will allow you all the time you need to get better and recover from your injuries.
Open a Claim Against the Negligent Truck Driver or the Trucking Company
Following your accident, your semi-truck lawyer should not delay in filing a claim against the responsible truck driver and/or the employer trucking company.
Trucking companies are generally deep-pocketed, and there is usually more than enough insurance coverage on the line to compensate you for the injuries and damages that you received in your accident.
If an insurance adjuster from the trucking company contacts you about giving a recorded statement, you should not do so—even if the adjuster insists that you are required to provide one.
The only reason for a recorded statement is to potentially allow the insurance company to uncover something negative that it can use against you.
You should never agree to provide a recorded statement without having a lawyer present with you, either in person or on the phone.