Do you know how to protect your rights after a collision with a commercial truck? While car accidents can be serious, truck crashes often come with more severe consequences given the size of these vehicles. And knowing how to stay safe, look after your health, and get the compensation you deserve isn’t always easy.
Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place. Read on as we unpack the key steps to help recover after a commercial truck crash.
Prioritize Your Safety
When you’re in an accident, it’s easy to feel paralyzed in the moment. But you need to calm your nerves and make sure that you’re safe first. If your car is still functional, turn on your blinkers to help create visibility, especially if the crash happened at night.
Look over yourself to see if there are obvious injuries, and do the same with passengers. Reach out to emergency services immediately. Know that some injuries, like whiplash, can take time to manifest, and other injuries could be lurking beneath the surface.
You don’t want to gamble with your health. And getting injuries checked by professional providers can yield key documentation for eventual insurance claims. After all, your health insurance may not cover all medical expenses, making extra financial assistance critical.
Contact Local Police
After you’ve assessed injuries, call the police. You may end up filing a claim with insurance or taking legal action, so you’ll need access to the accident report.
Police officers at the scene will gather statements from drivers and witnesses. They’ll account for weather conditions or signage errors that may have contributed to the accident. And they’ll collect any other pertinent evidence that can start to demonstrate who was at fault for the accident.
This information will be compiled in the accident report. Plan on asking the officer present how you can obtain a copy of it.
Know That Truck Accidents Can Be Complex
Commercial truck accidents can involve lengthy investigations and negotiations during the claims process. For starters, the accident may pull in several different entities, including the driver, their company, and the cargo loading group. If faulty maintenance contributed to the accident, the maintenance technician could be implicated, too.
In some situations, multiple parties may share the blame for the accident. Maybe the driver was using their phone and distracted, for instance. But perhaps the company didn’t establish clear phone use policies or provide adequate training.
Every state is different, too, when it comes to legal deadlines and processes. If you don’t submit a claim in time, you may miss your chance at compensation.
Before getting entangled in the claims process, it pays to work with a reputable local attorney. If you’re in Kansas City, for instance, you’ll want to work with a Kansas City semi-truck crash lawyer. They’ll have the expertise to guide you through the legal process and advocate for your rights.
Gather Information at the Scene
If you’re not severely injured, take time to document the accident scene. Take photos of all injuries plus damage to vehicles. Capture the truck’s license plate and any markings indicating the company name or contact details.
Look for visual clues, like icy roads or a busted guardrail, that may have played a role in the accident. Your phone camera can capture this information, so you can use it later for an insurance claim.
Contact information for the driver, trucking company, and insurance company is a must, as well. And if someone in another vehicle or on a sidewalk saw the accident unfold, get their name and phone number, as well.
Save Electronic Evidence
Dashcam footage and other data collected by commercial vehicles can come in handy when you’re seeking compensation through an insurance claim or legal action. Many vehicles have electronic logging devices (ELDs) to capture shifts in driving speed and the driver’s braking habits.
If your vehicle has a dashcam, make sure to save all footage right away. Sometimes cameras will overwrite footage after a set timeframe, so it’s best to act quickly.
Any other records you can obtain from the trucking company regarding the driver or truck maintenance records can be useful, as well. Overlooked maintenance issues or questionable driver behavior could come into play.
Be Prepared After a Truck Crash
When you’re involved in a commercial truck crash, it’s hard to know which way to turn. Start by prioritizing your safety, and then reach out to emergency services and police. Document everything at the scene and seek legal help before dealing with insurance.
Through it all, stay calm. When you’re able to focus on seeking a positive outcome, you can move forward after a commercial truck crash.
