It can be a scary experience to be involved in a truck accident, and it can leave you overwhelmed on what to do next. Since these truck accidents can sometimes be complex as they may involve several factors, it’s a good idea to seek help from experienced trucking accident lawyers to guide you through the whole process.
Remember that trucks can cause significant damages, so you need to know what to do if you are involved in these types of accidents. Hence, it’s important to remember a couple of rules that can help you with personal injury claims. This article explains what to do after truck accidents.
Report the accident
Anyone who gets involved in a car accident needs to remain at the accident scene. But make sure that you’re fine, and remove the vehicle from the road. Also, ensure that other drivers can see your vehicle by switching on the hazard lights. You can also place cones around your car and light road flares to prevent another accident from happening.
If there is anyone injured or has died due to the accident, you must call for medical help immediately. Otherwise, you should always call the state highway patrol or the police. When they arrive, the officers will assess the situation, handle the accident report, and let you know what you need to do. But always ask for a copy of the accident report so that you keep it for your record and submit it as evidence if there is a need to go to court.
Seek medical treatment
It’s crucial to seek medical treatment after a truck accident, regardless of whether you’re injured or not. It’s worth noting that adrenaline can sometimes prevent you from noticing the injury or feeling pain.
If you are not immediately taken to the hospital or don’t get treatment at the accident scene, then go and see your doctor quickly. You should let the doctor check you and find out if you need any care. If you don’t follow through with the medical treatment recommendations or don’t get medical treatment, it can interfere with your chances of receiving compensation for the injuries in the long run.
Identify the parties involved in the accident
You should also find any identifying signs or marks on the truck and other cars involved in the truck accident. The truck can be at fault, but the company they are driving for can also be liable for the damage to your car and the injuries. This can be important information to ensure that all potentially liable parties should be held responsible for causing the accident.
That said, you need to take pictures of the accident with your camera or phone. These pictures can come in handy as evidence to prove the party at fault for the accident. So they should show the severity of the injuries, the damage to your car, and other crucial information.