Steps to Take After a Truck Accident
Being involved in a truck collision can be a very challenging time.
The first day or two following a truck accident are critical. There is a lot to cram into those days, from medical treatment to hiring a truck accident lawyer to filing an insurance claim.
We break down the seven most crucial steps you must take after being involved in a trucking accident.
Table of Contents
- What to do after being involved in a truck accident
- Steps to take after your truck accident
- Choose Arrowhead Clinic
What to do After Being Involved in a Truck Accident
When you are involved in a truck accident, the actions you take immediately afterward are crucial if you want to obtain fair compensation for your losses.
What you do during the next few minutes, hours, or days will dramatically affect the outcome of your truck accident claim and may have even more serious ramifications on legal proceedings.
You will need to seek immediate medical care for your injuries and find the help of a qualified Truck Accident Lawyer to file a claim against the at-fault truck driver or company who caused the accident.
Essential Steps to Help Truck Accident Victims
1. Call the Police
The first phone call you make after being hit by a tractor-trailer is to law enforcement.
It's important not to speak to anyone else before the police arrive and never apologize to the other driver after a crash.
Once the police arrive, try to give them an accurate and factual description of what occurred during the commercial truck accident. It's important not to exaggerate the story and only provide exact details of what occurred.
The authority's job is to write the appropriate citation to the at-fault party and an official accident report indicating who caused the accident.
The police report is crucial when filing a personal injury claim. Without it, you may have trouble receiving compensation from the other party's insurance provider.
Your experienced truck accident lawyer will need the police records as proof that you were following all traffic safety laws when the semi-truck driver hit you.
2. Take Photographs
If possible, taking photos of the truck accident scene is important before it is tampered with.
Accident scene photographs include pictures of vehicle damage, any skid marks, weather conditions, the location of the accident, road conditions, and any visible injuries that were sustained.
Pictures of the entire accident scene can be valuable evidence if you file a truck accident lawsuit.
If you have before-and-after pictures of your vehicle, this will provide a distinct contrast to depict the exact extent of the damages that occurred.
Keeping a detailed record of the accident is important because, depending on how long the legal process takes, you may be asked for details months or even years after the fact, and by then, the details of the crash will not be fresh in your mind.
Having pictures will help you remember just how bad the accident really was.
3. Exchange Information with the Other Driver
Anytime you are involved in an accident, you need to obtain information about the other party or parties that were involved.
You will want to obtain the following contact details before leaving the accident scene:
- Name
- Phone number
- Insurance information
- License plate number
- Driver's license number
- The trucking company's name and contact information
It is possible that the trucking company is also at fault for the accident, which means it's important to obtain their information in case your trucking accident lawyer needs it.
4. Seek Medical Assistance
Once you are dismissed from the accident scene, you need to seek immediate medical treatment for your injuries.
This is where many people make the mistake of waiting a few days because they may not always realize they have an injury until hours or days later.
When you are involved in an accident, often times you ignore injuries up-front because of the shock that the accident has caused.
Many people turn down emergency medical services and say they are fine because they have too much adrenaline to realize they are actually hurt.
Having prompt treatment for your injuries will only help you when filing an accident claim and seeking financial compensation for your medical expenses.
The insurance company will already try to deny responsibility when it comes to an accident claim, so it's important not to give them another reason to delay and give you a hard time.
Trucking accident victims who seek a medical evaluation immediately after the accident and follow the doctor's treatment plan will have a better chance of receiving maximum compensation for their losses.
5. Contact an Experienced Truck Accident Attorney
When a tractor-trailer hits you, and you believe the accident occurred due to negligence, it's important to hire an experienced lawyer to handle your vehicle accident claim.
Truck accidents are often more complex than regular motor vehicle crashes, and handling a lawsuit on your own can be nearly impossible.
An experienced attorney will handle all negotiations with the other party's insurance company, so it's important not to speak with an insurance adjuster without first obtaining legal representation.
It will also be up to your lawyer to obtain all the necessary documentation needed to file a claim for damages.
Your attorney will work closely with your medical provider to receive all the documentation from your truck accident injuries.
6. Follow all Medical Advice
When you are injured in a semi-truck crash and need to receive medical treatment for your injuries, it's important for your health and your accident claim to follow the treatment advice that you are given.
If the doctor tells you to receive Chiropractic treatment three days a week for a month, that is what you need to do.
If you skip and only go when you feel like it, you are potentially extending your medical visits and giving the insurance company a perfect reason to deny your claim.
If the insurance company sees any gap in your medical treatment or that you did not do as the doctor ordered, they will deny your claim for medical reimbursement.
7. Choose an Experienced Chiropractor
When you are injured in a truck accident and sustain a spinal cord or soft tissue injury, your first choice in medical provider should be a Chiropractic Doctor for truck accidents.
Chiropractors specialize in treating musculoskeletal and soft tissue injuries.
Chiropractors use non-invasive spinal correction techniques to restore the body to normal function.
Choose Arrowhead Clinic
The Chiropractors at Arrowhead Clinics specialize in treating the victims of car and truck accidents.
Our Chiropractors also work with a team of Medical Doctors in order to provide the best medical treatment for victims of truck accidents.
Our Doctors will complete a thorough examination and health analysis to determine the extent of your injuries.
They will develop a specialized treatment plan tailored to your specific injuries, helping you recover as quickly and optimally as possible.
If you were injured in a Truck Accident, do not hesitate to contact our experienced Chiropractors for a free consultation.
We will help with your injury recovery and work directly with your truck accident attorney to provide the documentation needed so you do not have to pay upfront for your medical expenses.
When you come to our clinic for a free consultation, we can also provide you with a referral to a personal injury attorney who can help throughout the claims process.
Click on the banner now to speak with one of our chiropractors about truck accidents today.
