Being involved in a trucking crash can be a very stressful experience that can lead to significant losses and injuries. Although the last thing you may want to do after such an accident is gather evidence and take photos, taking these steps can be essential in aiding your legal claim. For further details on these types of accidents and the legal actions you can take, consider speaking with a knowledgeable trucking accident attorney at Steelman Gaunt Crowley by calling (573) 341-8336.
What Are the Most Frequent Types of Accidents in All of Trucking?
Although trucking collisions can occur for a number of reasons, they most frequently happen because of the following:
- Truck rollovers
- Rear-end crashes
- Wide-turn accidents
- Sideswipe accidents
- Head-on collisions
- T-bone accidents
- Jackknife accidents
No matter the cause of your trucking crash, if you or a loved one was injured in a truck accident because of another person’s wrongful actions, consider discussing your case with a dedicated truck accident attorney to determine your legal options and the remedies you can pursue.
Truck Accident Investigation Checklist
Get to Safety Immediately and Call the Officials
Following a trucking accident, you should get to safety immediately. This includes moving your vehicle to the side of the road so that you and your car are not hit by passing motorists. From there, contact 911. Not only will this get emergency medical personnel to the scene to provide you and others with the medical attention you need, but once the police investigate the accident, they can write down their findings in their police report, which can provide you and your attorney with valuable information that can help your legal case.
Exchange Information With Others and Gather Evidence
Try to exchange information with all the others involved in the accident, including the truck driver. Ask for their names, license registration information, insurance information, and details regarding the employer of the truck. If the circumstances allow for it, try to also take photos of the accident scene, including:
- The vehicle involved in the crash and the damage done to these vehicles
- The surrounding area
- Traffic and roadway signs and any lights nearby
- Road, weather, and traffic conditions following the trucking accident
However, if you cannot gather this evidence on your own, do not worry. A trucking accident lawyer can assist you in finding and obtaining such evidence. At Steelman Gaunt Crowley, the skilled legal team can thoroughly investigate the trucking crash, work on securing witness statements to assist your legal case, and find relevant evidence to establish what happened and who was at fault.
Get Medical Treatment Immediately
Every individual involved in a trucking collision needs to be examined by a medical professional, even if they do not believe they have suffered any serious injuries. According to the Mayo Clinic and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, injuries like a traumatic brain injury or a spinal cord injury can go unnoticed for hours or even days after the collision. Waiting to get medical treatment can make the situation much worse.
In addition, after you get examined, the healthcare professional can create a medical report detailing the injuries you sustained, including the severity of these injuries. This report can also provide evidence of a connection between the truck crash and the injuries involved, which can be beneficial if the insurance company tries to argue that the harm was not as severe as was claimed or the injuries resulted from a separate event.
Watch Out for the Insurer
Following a trucking accident, the insurance company and its representatives will likely try to reach you. Before you start discussing the crash with them in detail or answering any of their questions, be mindful that the insurer is not there to help you secure the funds you need. Rather, like other businesses, the insurer wants to make a profit, and by denying claims or paying you less after an accident, they are able to do so. For these reasons, before discussing your case with an insurance representative, consider first reviewing the situation with a skilled truck accident lawyer. These legal professionals can help you better understand the strategies these companies employ and can even handle all discussions with the insurance adjusters on your behalf.
Do Not Share Details About the Accident With Others
While sharing details about your accident online or on social media may seem like a good idea, especially as a way to let off some steam and connect with others who may have gone through the same thing, you should avoid posting about your accident. This is because what you post online can be found by anyone, including the other parties involved in the accident and the insurance companies. This also means that anything you say can be used against you, impacting your legal claim and the compensation you can go after.
Do Not Sign Anything After the Trucking Accident
If you are provided papers after the crash by the insurer or the truck company and asked to sign them, make sure you read through everything very carefully. If anything asks you to take the blame for the crash, limits your recovery, or absolves the other party, do not sign it. Signing such documents can hurt your chances of securing compensation.
Contact Steelman Gaunt Crowley and Find out Your Legal Options
Dealing with the aftermath of a trucking accident can be chaotic and stressful. The last thing you should have to worry about after such a crash is fighting for the compensation and justice you deserve under the law. For these reasons, following a trucking accident, consider reviewing the circumstances of the crash with a skilled truck accident attorney at the law firm of Steelman Gaunt Crowley. Our legal professionals can go over your case, determine whether you have a valid legal claim, and figure out your legal options. Contact us online or call us at (573) 341-8336 to schedule a free case consultation.
