Being involved in any kind of road traffic incident is bad enough, but when you factor in a truck’s sheer size and weight, things can become much worse, much quicker. Aside from the velocity of the truck being more likely to wreak havoc among other road users, there are also many different aspects to consider, ranging from responsibility (driver, manufacturer, mechanic, etc.) to insurance providers. Consequently, there are certain steps you must take if you want to ensure that you can avoid the worst and get back on the road as soon as possible. This post will cover a few of the most pertinent, in no particular order, to provide you with a decent overview of how to move forward.
Consult A Truck Accident Attorney
Although this may or may not be your first step, depending on the severity of the situation, you will eventually reach the point where you must contact a law firm to help you deal with all of the loose ends that have a habit of piling up during these events. However, it’s not as simple as reaching out to your local personal injury attorney. As we mentioned in the introduction, accidents involving trucks tend to have many more moving parts to deal with, reassuring the help of an experienced truck lawyer who has represented clients in these scenarios before.
This Oregon truck accident attorney notes that getting your life back on track after an accident involving a truck can be extremely challenging, and having someone experienced by your side to help you navigate the various ins and outs of the law surrounding the incident can go a long way in expediting this.
Additionally, when the time comes to claim recompense from your insurer or those on the other side, you will need to deal with the dreaded insurance companies who are notorious for stalling, lowballing, and even outright denying claims for spurious reasons. Your attorney can deal with them on your behalf and, in some cases, even get you interim payments to help you deal with the costs and experiences involved while things are going through the motions.
Document All Vehicle Damage And Injuries
Documentation is crucial if you plan on taking legal action. Even if you think you will be happy to accept an out-of-court offer, you will still need enough documentation to prove the damages and ensure that you receive the amount you deserve. One such task is to take plenty of photos of the incident, including the damage to the vehicles and any injuries that you and others have sustained. When it comes to the latter, you should seek permission to document the injuries of all involved, as this can go a long way in exposing the true extent of the accident and can paint a much more detailed picture for the insurance companies and the lawyers.
Seek Medical Attention If Needed
Regardless of whether you or anyone else has visible injuries, you should always contact emergency services, which should come out to examine the situation. You never know if you have experienced internal injuries that could develop into something far more serious if left unattended. Aside from this point, the police and paramedics will provide you with an incident report that you can use if you choose to initiate legal proceedings. While not essential to win a case, having this document can go a long way in proving the true extent of the injuries sustained, allowing a presiding judge to come up with a number that is most conducive to your situation.
Notify Your Insurance Company Promptly
One way to avoid issues with your insurer is to notify them as soon as you possibly can. Obviously, if you have been in a coma for a week since your accident, then this should be taken as mitigating circumstances, but in almost all other cases, you or someone on your behalf should contact them to let them know what has just occurred. Any significant delay without good causes could be taken as a sign of dishonesty or possible fraud, which may result in the broker voiding your coverage entirely.
That is a pretty extreme case to happen, but you need to be aware that insurance providers tend not to play nicely and will do almost anything within their rights to get out of paying money. If you have already contacted a lawyer, you can ask them to perform this action on your behalf, which should, in most cases, push the insurer in the right direction compared to if it were just yourself contacting them. However, you shouldn’t wait for an attorney to do this, and the idea is to contact them as quickly as you possibly can to, at the very least, inform them of the situation.
Record Witnesses’ Contact Information
If there were witnesses to the accident, you really must try to approach them and ask them for their contact details and even a simple statement if possible. You would be surprised at just how far witness testimony can go in court as evidence to help your case along. It is fine if you only have their contact information because the attorney you hire to represent you should be able to contact them directly and obtain the best possible statement from them. These statements should include a detailed reciting of everything from the weather conditions at the time to who they believed was in the wrong. While this won’t be counted as expert testimony, even the most minor details can make a huge difference.
Record Everything
When we say record everything, we really mean record everything. This includes all of your out-of-pocket expenses and pay stubs to document your current state of mind. The more you are able to record, the better your case will be if you choose to litigate. Even if you receive an out-of-court offer, you can use these records to help you improve their offer to something more substantial and that is more representative of your circumstances.
Being involved in an accident with a truck is terrifying. There are no two ways about it. However, as long as you follow the correct steps, you should be able to recover from the situation in a much better state than those who don’t.
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