What to Do After a Truck Accident
If you have been involved in an accident with a truck, you should follow the below steps:
- Call 911 and report the accident
- Get any necessary medical attention
- Work with law enforcement to file a report of what happened
- Document everything
- Be careful who you share information with about the accident
An alarming one in eight fatal traffic accidents involve trucks. That means each year in the United States about 500,000 truck accidents occur with roughly 5000 fatalities as a result of the accident. This is not likely to change any time soon so it is imperative to understand the correct legal steps to follow after you or your loved one is involved in an accident with a truck if you want to be sure to receive the appropriate amount due from insurance companies or through a personal injury claim.
Listed below are the steps needed to follow immediately after an accident with a semi-truck:
Call 911 and Report the Accident
If the accident happens on busy highway, chances are someone else has already called 911 but do not assume that is the case and call anyway. Give law enforcement your full recollection of what happened. In addition, make a call to your insurance company and report the accident.
Get Any Necessary Medical Attention
Obviously this is your primary concern. See if anyone other than yourself needs medical attention as well as yourself. Do not move any injured people from the seen -- wait for emergency medical assistance. See a doctor or visit the emergency room even if you do not feel you need immediate assistance. Sometimes when you are involved in an accident you body goes into shock to protect you from feeling pain. When that shock wears off you may find you did, indeed suffer from injuries that need to be attended to. Neck injuries are common as a result of an accident so it is important to get checked out and treated by professionals.
Keep track of all your medical expenses -- some may take months to get because of insurance claims. These records are important if you are submitting an accident claim and need to be compensated for these expenses..
Work With Law Enforcement
What you say to the first police officer on the scene will likely be what is put in the official police report, which is what you will need to submit to our insurance company when filing a claim. This can also become a part of a lawsuit should your insurance company not compensate you sufficiently. While being involved in a truck accident is scary and emotional, be careful about what you tell the police officer. You never want to lie to law enforcement, however, you do not want to make any ‘heat of the moment’ remarks that may be incriminating such as:
- “The accident was my fault, I’m sorry”
- “I did not see the truck”
- “I was speeding”
Document Everything
In any accident, it is important to gather as much documentation as possible. This includes:
- Taking pictures at the scene -- position of all vehicles, road conditions, injuries
- Get the license plate and vehicle identification numbers of all vehicles involved
- Witness contact information -- confirm that they will submit a statement
- Insurance policy information
Be Careful Who You Speak With Concerning the Truck Accident
The only insurance adjuster you should talk to is yours. Do not talk to the other party’s insurance company and never sign anything or write any statements for them. You may give them your contact information but let them know you will contact them after talking with your attorney.
An experienced truck accident lawyer Washington D.C. residents recommend can help you wade through the insurance paperwork maze when filing a truck accident claim. With their help, you can feel confident you can receive everything you are entitled to.
Thanks to our friends and contributors from Cohen & Cohen, P.C., for their insight into trucking accidents.