If you were involved in a truck accident, you may be wondering what comes next. Truck accidents, whether a pickup truck, an SUV, or a tractor-trailer was involved, can result in some serious damage — and if the accident leads to injuries or damage to your vehicle, you need to take action. So let’s take a look at a few important steps to take after being a victim in a trucking accident.
See a doctor sooner rather than later
One of the most important steps to take after being in an accident with a commercial vehicle is to seek medical treatment. Being a victim of a truck accident puts you at a high risk of severe or even fatal injuries, so it’s crucial to get looked at by a doctor — even if you feel fine, you may have internal injuries that can only be diagnosed by a medical professional. Not only is seeing a doctor in the best interest of your health, but it could be important for a future lawsuit, too. If the accident was not your fault, you shouldn’t get stuck paying medical bills or for treatments for a long-term serious injury, and having proof of medical attention is important for truck accident cases.
File a report with the local police
After any type of car accident, you should always file a police report. When talking to the police, you should be honest and clear about what happened. Don’t leave out any details. A police report will contain relevant information that attorneys can access at a later point and use as evidence as needed. Furthermore, you’ll need a police report to give to your insurance company — an accident report will contain information like whether or not you were following traffic laws, which is important for receiving coverage and compensation.
Get the right evidence
Collecting evidence is always a good idea after an accident, so you should consider collecting whatever evidence you can after the crash. Important evidence could include things like the contact information for the truck driver, the number for their insurance company, and information about the truck companies they work for. You should also take pictures of the crash scene if possible and get contact information for any nearby witnesses. Any evidence you collect will be looked over by a personal injury lawyer so they can decide which pieces of evidence will be helpful to your case.
Hire a reputable truck accident lawyer
If you were not at fault for the accident and you want compensation for your injuries and other damages, you need to hire an attorney. A Maryland truck accident lawyer will have the knowledge, experience, and resources needed to handle the legal matters surrounding your claim. Accidents involving large commercial trucks are not like those involving just passenger vehicles and can often be a lot more complex — the trucking industry has detailed federal regulations they have to follow regarding driving, maintenance, and more, and because of this, there may be more than one party at fault for the accident. Due to the complexity of truck accident cases and the extensive injuries that may be acquired, it’s crucial to have proper legal representation.
Getting into an accident, especially a serious truck accident can be scary and overwhelming. But it’s important to take action as soon as possible so you can have the best chance possible at receiving compensation and having expenses covered by the at-fault party. And don’t forget, you should hire an experienced and well-known lawyer to handle your claim so you can rest assured your case will be built as strongly as possible. These accidents can be prevented by using crowd protection barriers in high-risk areas.
