What to Do in case of a Crash!
What to Do in Case of an Accident Involving a Truck, Delivery Vehicle, Bus, Dump Truck, etc…
If you’re in an accident with a commercial vehicle, follow these steps to comply with the law and optimize your chances of recovering compensation for your injuries or any vehicle damage.
Keep Calm and Call 911
As much as you can, try to remain calm. If you were not at fault, you may be angry with whoever caused the accident, but venting your anger won’t help the situation and may make it worse.
As soon as possible, call 911 and let the dispatcher know that you were in an accident. They might ask how many people were involved, especially if it was very serious, so they’ll know how many first responders can be dispatched to the scene to attend to any injured people. Always report a truck accident to the police. The police will interview those involved in the accident and any witnesses and create a police report.
Be Careful What You Say
What you say in the aftermath of a truck accident can affect your ability to collect compensation for your injuries or damage to your vehicle. Here are a few tips:
- Don’t admit fault to anyone, even if you caused the accident. Your lawyer’s investigation may uncover mitigating circumstances that transfer some of the fault to other parties.
- Tell the police your story, but don’t admit fault.
- Don’t talk to insurance companies. Suppose you casually tell a claims adjuster from your insurance company that you’re okay. That may hinder your ability to collect damages or reduce the amount of the settlement offered by your insurer. A trucking company’s insurer will usually fight hard for its client. Politely decline to talk to insurance adjusters, and let them know that your attorney will contact them.
Unfortunately, something you say after the accident could be used against you later, so refrain from apologizing for the accident or acting as if any part of it is your fault, even if you are worried you might have been partially responsible. Only discuss fault or liability with your lawyer—not with the truck driver, anyone else involved in the crash, or an insurance company.
Don’t post anything about the accident on social media. Suppose you post a picture of your car after the accident with the caption, “Got into a crash with a truck, but I’m okay.” Your post can be used to argue against any claim you make for injuries suffered in the accident.
Get Medical Attention
If you or anyone else have serious or life-threatening injuries, get emergency medical attention right away. Let the 911 dispatcher know you need help when you call to report the accident.
If you are able to, stay at the scene, make sure you get medical attention as soon as possible after leaving the scene. There are a few reasons this is so important:
- Your injuries might be more serious than you initially realize, or they might worsen quickly or over time.
- If you wait too long to seek treatment, the defense will try to say that you weren’t hurt as badly as you’re claiming.
Seeing a doctor right away will create immediate documentation of your injuries and can give you an idea of what your future treatment costs will look like.
Assist in Any Way You Can
If you are seriously injured, wait in your car if you are not in danger for help to arrive. If you feel that you are in danger, move your car to a safe area (out of traffic if at all possible).
If and only if it is safe to do so, check on other drivers and passengers involved in the accident to see if you can help them with anything.
Get Contact Information from Witnesses
Witness testimony can be critical to establishing your claim for compensation. Witnesses may leave once they’ve checked that everyone involved in an accident is okay. Ask for the witnesses names and phone numbers and/or email addresses as soon as possible. Witness statements can be incredibly helpful in a truck accident case, and chances are good other people saw your accident happen. Talk to any bystanders and ask what they saw. If they saw the crash, ask for their names and contact information.
Exchange Information with Other Drivers
Exchange insurance and driver’s license information with the other drivers involved in the crash. Insurance information should include the insurance company and the policy number. You should not provide any details regarding your insurance policy, such as types and amounts of coverage.
Exchange the following information:
- Full names, physical addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses
- Driver’s license numbers
- License plate numbers
- Auto insurance names and policy numbers
Ask the truck driver involved in the accident for the name and address of their employer, and record their
- truck’s license plate number
- truck’s DOT number
- truck’s MC (State) number
- trailer’s license plate number
- photograph any other numbers you can see
Get Police Information
Ask the officer creating the police report for the accident for their name, badge number, and the police report number. Although the police report may be incorrect, the information in the police report can help with determining fault after a truck accident. It can also help your legal team in investigating and building a case for your insurance claim or lawsuit.
Document the Accident Scene
It’s crucial to collect all the evidence you may need after a truck accident.
As soon as you can, write down:
- How the crash occurred
- Where the crash occurred (cross streets, address, or highway mile marker)
Take photos and videos of the accident scene:
- The entire accident scene
- The position of all vehicles involved
- Your injuries and the injuries of anyone passengers in your vehicle
- All vehicle damage
- Anything else that can help set the scene and show what happened
- If the weather might have played a role in the cause of the accident, make sure you get a picture of the sky and weather conditions too.
- Tire skid marks and/or gouge marks on the road
Get a Medical Evaluation and Document Any Treatment You Receive
If you or anyone else have serious or life-threatening injuries, get emergency medical attention right away. Let the 911 dispatcher know you need help when you call to report the accident.
If you are able to stay at the scene, make sure you get a medical evaluation for yourself and any passengers in your car at a hospital emergency room or from your primary care doctor as soon as possible after leaving the scene because a doctor can diagnose internal injuries you may not be aware of, and symptoms of some injuries (e.g., back and neck pain) may not be felt immediately. Do this even if you feel fine after the accident. There are a few reasons this is so important:
- Your injuries might be more serious than you initially realize, or they might worsen quickly over time.
- If you wait too long to seek treatment, the insurance company might try to say that you weren’t hurt as badly as you’re claiming.
- Seeing a doctor right away will create immediate documentation of your injuries and can give you an idea of what your future treatment costs will look like.
Keep all records of your medical treatment and bills. It can also be helpful to keep a diary of how your injuries affect your daily activities. Write down, for instance, if you can’t work or if your injuries cause you to miss any of your everyday activities.
Get Your Car Appraised
Wait to get your car repaired until your insurance company authorizes you to do so. However, you can bring your car to one or two independent body shops and ask them for a repair appraisal.Contact a Truck Accident Attorney Today