What Should You Do if You’re In a Truck Accident?

You’ve seen giant trucks riding alongside you on the highway—enormous big rigs, tractor-trailers, and 18-wheelers, which can weigh up to 80,000 lbs when fully loaded. This is in stark contrast to the average weight of a passenger vehicle, which is around 5,000 lbs. Unsurprisingly, this giant size differential means that accidents between large trucks and passenger vehicles tend to do much more damage to the passenger vehicle than the truck. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the rate of injury accidents involving large trucks rose by 17% between 2013 and 2014. Among those injured in multi-vehicle large truck accidents, 17,000 were occupants of the truck, whereas 82,000 were occupants of the other vehicle. Where the accident resulted in fatal injuries, 73% of those fatally wounded were in the other vehicle, and not the truck. If you’re involved in a truck accident, be sure to follow the following steps to ensure that your claim against a large and experienced carrier corporation is successful. 

Get the medical help you need

If you’re hurt at the scene of an accident, be sure to address your medical needs as soon as possible with emergency care. Even if you don’t believe that you require immediate medical attention, seek a doctor’s care nonetheless. Some truck accident injuries may not become clear until later, and if you don’t document when an injury occurred via a doctor’s records, you may have difficulty later recovering for it through your truck accident claim.

Make sure a police report is generated

Call the police to the scene of your accident, and ensure that the officer generates a report detailing the accident accurately. A police report will provide a valuable piece of evidence in your claim against the trucking company, and may be required in order to file a claim with your insurer.

Take photos at the scene of the accident

Photos taken immediately after the accident can prove highly valuable in an eventual claim for damages. These photos can show the position of the vehicles after the crash, and the damage to each vehicle before they were moved or repaired in any way. Accident reconstruction experts can use these photos to create a model of the accident itself, and to provide an opinion on which driver was at fault for the crash. Additionally, speak to witnesses at the scene and obtain their contact information.

Don’t make or sign any statements

Carrier companies are highly experienced in responding to truck accident claims and may send representatives to the scene of the accident. These individuals will note anything you say that could imply your responsibility for the accident, and will use those statements against you later. They may even attempt to obtain your signature on a written statement about the accident. Do not make any statements about fault or sign anything without first speaking with a lawyer.

Get help from an experienced Alabama truck accident lawyer

Truck accident claims are complex for a number of reasons. First, there is a dense network of laws covering the commercial trucking industry which will come into play in a claim for damages, and you need an attorney familiar with these laws. Second, there can be a number of parties who bear some liability for the accident, such as the carrier company for whom the driver worked, the company whose product was being shipped, and the company charged with maintaining the truck. Be sure to hire an attorney who understands this complex form of litigation.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a truck accident in Alabama, make sure you get the money you need to make a full recovery and to compensate you for your lost work and pain and suffering by contacting the compassionate, determined, and trial-ready Montgomery truck accident attorney Chip Nix for a consultation on your case, at 334-279-7770.