8 Things You Must Do After a Truck Accident

It’s critical to understand the measures to take following a truck accident. Failing to do so can have a substantial impact on your prospects of receiving compensation. These seven recommendations will assist you in taking the appropriate measures if you’ve been in an accident with a big rig, 18-wheeler, or any other large truck.

1. Check for Injuries

First and foremost, make sure you are okay. More than anything else, safety comes first. This will assist you in making your next decision. If you can, move to safety and out of the road.

Burns, brain injury, amputation, lacerations, harm to the shoulder, back, and neck are just some injuries that are sustained from a truck accident. Depending on the severity, some injuries will be immediately apparent, while others may take time to develop.

2. Notify the Authorities

Once you’ve determined whether or not there are any injuries, the following step is to call for assistance. Call 911 and ask for emergency medical services if it’s needed. Once you’ve confirmed your safety, take note of the officers’ names, contact information, and badge numbers.

The officers will want a statement of everything that occurred before and after the accident. This step is critical because it will allow the police to record all of the facts and sometimes determine who was at fault for the truck accident. This will all be logged in a police report.

Make sure to obtain a copy of the police report. It will be beneficial to you and your personal injury case.

3. Get Eyewitnesses Accounts

If you aren’t seriously injured, you can investigate the area and obtain witness statements from others nearby after calling the police. If you are not well enough, make a phone call to a friend or family member and ask them for help.

Make sure you acquire their contact information when you get their statements. You can also present the witnesses to the officers that responded to the incident. By doing so, the cops will document their stories and log them in the police report, which helps your case.

4. Get All Necessary Details

After contacting the police, obtain all information that will aid in the processing of your claims, such as the truck driver’s name, contact information, the truck’s license plate, and firm name. You can also take clear images of the documents with your phone, such as the truck driver’s license.

You should also keep track of the insurance policy number, the company’s number, the truck’s type, year, and color, as well as the truck’s identification number. However, never reveal personal information such as your social security number or other sensitive information.

5. DO NOT Talk to the Other Insurance Company

Before dealing with a lawyer, be sure you don’t make any statements. Never speak about your injuries. The insurance companies can use your words against you. Even what may appear as an innocent comment about the accident can hurt your truck accident claim.

Similarly, it’s best not to share too much information with your auto insurance. While you do need to report the event, you do not need to go into detail about the crash.

6. Seek Medical Assistance

Whether you were wounded in the collision or not, you should seek medical attention. Because of the initial rush of adrenaline, you may not detect any injuries at first, but they will become apparent over time. As a result, get medical attention as soon as possible to improve your chances of recovery. A medical specialist will establish what caused the injuries, and you’ll have proof that it happened during the accident.

7. Complete a Preliminary Accident Report

This is a critical step that many people overlook. It does, however, assist in establishing the facts. The report will include the time, date, and location of the accident and a general summary of the incident. You should also record the estimated speed of the vehicles, the road and weather conditions, and any other pertinent information. You may also make a graphic representation of the accident that shows the position of the cars as well as their travel directions. Finally, include the drivers’ names, driver’s license numbers, and the states that issued their licenses.

8. Consult with a Truck Accident Attorney

Speak with a Riverside truck accident lawyer right away. Most personal injury law firms provide a free initial consultation. If you were seriously injured in an accident with a commercial vehicle due to a negligent truck driver, you may need the assistance of a truck accident lawyer to handle your case.

If you need legal assistance following a severe truck accident, consult with one of our accident attorneys as soon as possible. Even if you were partly at fault for the accident, you may still file a claim and recover some damages.