Nobody wants to get into a truck accident, but such unfortunate events can occur unexpectedly. A truck accident can range from mild to very serious, and the legal process for claiming your rights is very different from a car accident. Anyone who has driven an 18-wheeler semi-truck knows that its sheer size and weight are alarming. If the truck collides with a passenger vehicle, severe injuries can occur.
Recently, an accident occurred which involved 5 trucks that killed two people and left three others severely injured. According to the media reports, the accident occurred because the truck driver of one of the trucks failed to realize that other vehicles had stopped in the lane and went on to collide with them, causing chaos, damage to property, and loss of many lives.
As much as we hope that such severe accidents involving large and heavy trucks do not occur, they do occur very often due to harsh weather conditions, poor road conditions, truck companies’ negligence, and incapability of the drivers.
An 18-wheeler semi-truck accident can cause serious injuries, which may be fatal. Most of the time, the person is so severely injured that the first thing they should attend to is seeking medical help. But if you can walk away from a truck accident with only minor injuries, you should follow the other steps mentioned below to help yourself in the future.
If you get into a truck accident, first take a look at your condition, the passengers’ condition, and other people involved with the truck accident, if you can move. Put yourself first. Never ignore your safety for the safety of others. If necessary, call an ambulance and wait for it to arrive. Next, follow the below-mentioned steps to make your stand firm and protect yourself from any legal charges.
Call 911
If you get into an 18-wheeler semi-truck accident, immediately call the police, which is commonly 911. If your accident took place on a highway, the agent at 911 would transfer your call to the local police station and emergency responding unit.
Let the agent know the details of the accident, such as the number of people involved and injured, to send help and ambulances accordingly. If you get into a minor accident, do not hesitate to call the police. You must file a police report regardless of the severity of the accident and your injuries.
Attend to your injuries
If the accident is severe, you will most likely sustain many injuries that must be treated immediately. Even if you face a minor truck accident and think that you are not injured, you must get a medical evaluation done for yourself and those affected. There is a possibility that you might have sustained injuries that don’t show physically, such as internal bleeding.
It is important to get a medical evaluation done because later on, to need medical assistance; it might be difficult to prove that it was due to the accident. Some injuries are not visible to the naked eye, but the doctor may diagnose them with x-rays and scans. Sometimes we do not notice or feel some fractures’ pain, but that does not mean they do not exist. So it’s best to get yourself thoroughly examined by a medical professional.
Take pictures and collect evidence at the scene
Once you have received medical attention, you should try to document any evidence at the scene if it is safe for you to leave the vehicle and if you are unharmed, start by taking pictures of the scene, the contact information of all the people involved in the accident and the people present as witnesses.
You should also take pictures of the surrounding road and weather conditions or any other factor concerned with the accident. Weather conditions can affect the road’s visibility or make the road slippery and slick. A photo can act as proof in your favor, so do not forget to take pictures. Take photos of your truck and the other vehicles involved in the accident. In today’s time, everyone has a smartphone, and every smartphone has a camera which makes taking photos of the scene easy and fast. This step also involves documenting other information from the other parties involved in the accident, such as:
- The driver’s name, address, email, mobile number
- The other vehicle’s number plate
- The driver’s license number, policy number, insurance company name
- The contact information of the truck company
- Accident report form
Also, look for any shops or businesses in your close vicinity. You can approach them and ask them whether they have any security cameras installed facing the road that might have recorded the accident. The video footage obtained from these security cameras will be solid proof and will contain all the important details related to who’s at fault for the accident.
Contact information of witnesses
A witness is a very important figure. Who exactly is a witness? A witness is anyone who observed or saw the accident when it occurred and how it occurred. It could be a bystander, a person walking by, a person involved in the vehicle, or a person in another vehicle that wasn’t involved in the accident. You have to collect the contact information of all the witnesses you can find.
Taking the witness statements is not your job. The police officers will do that. There might be a delay in interviewing the police witnesses if the accident is very severe and emergency. Some witnesses who stopped to help will probably leave once the ambulances and emergency response teams arrive at the scene. That makes it very difficult to track them down and interview them.
This will result in a loss of valuable information that could be of help. If major injuries do not inflict you, go to a witness and ask for their contact number, name, or their email so that you can stay in touch with them. You can present this information to your lawyer or hand it over to the police if they require it. The witness’s account may prove very helpful in a condition where you were not at fault.
Without the witnesses’ statements, you will be stuck in a he-said-she-said situation with no real evidence. The contact information of the witnesses will allow your lawyer to find and locate these individuals.
Get your vehicle checked and assessed at the body shop
To avoid problems when you make a claim, it is important to get your vehicle checked. Even if it appears that your vehicle sustained minor damage, it is still important to take it to a body shop. Just like your body, your vehicle may have also sustained damage that is not visible, thus making it dangerous to take on the road. But there is something you need to remember before you take it to the shop.
Your insurance claim also includes the estimates of repair. So every insurance agency requires different things to compensate you. You may be required to take pictures of the damage, or you may be needed to take your car to a shop that your insurer approves of. Take roadside assistance and tow your car to the local shop and get repair work done only after contacting your insurance company.
Don’t say anything carelessly: Words can be used against you
In addition to being overwhelmed and confused after an accident, you may also feel agitated and frustrated, especially if it’s the other party’s fault. Your anger can make you be unpleasant with them and say things you might regret later on. But saying things you don’t mean and being angry with them will not do you any good.
The better way is to keep your cool after the accident. In this way, you will not say something that will affect your case negatively later on. So remember to never admit liability or your fault. Even if you think you were more at fault, you should not say anything. Moreover, do not lie or state false details.
The police will try to investigate the scene and also ask you for a statement. Even then, you should not admit fault or lie about anything. This may prove detrimental for your case later on. It is better to stay quiet. Only talk to your lawyer as they will be able to help your case better.
Moreover, you are under no obligation to talk to your or the other party’s insurance company. And you shouldn’t carelessly talk with them. Why? Because the insurance company is not your friend. They will use every tactic in their book so that they don’t have to pay you a large settlement. So you should only talk and discuss with your lawyer. They are on your side and will try to get you the compensation you deserve.
Don’t post anything on social media
Truck accidents are usually always much larger and serious than car accidents. This is why news channels may also cover these accidents. They may also be posted online. So you need to ensure that you don’t comment on online articles. Similarly, you should never post anything on social media regarding your situation.
Pictures and posts about your condition, how you feel or think the accident happened, who was at fault, other opinions regarding the accident may not appear much to you, but these things can be used against you later on in court. So it is better to refrain from posting anything online.
Likewise, don’t contact your friends and family members on social media. You need to contact them directly through offline channels if you want to talk about the accident or tell them how you are doing in its aftermath. You should keep in mind that the other party can use anything against you so that they can settle at less compensation. Things you post and delete afterward may also exist in screenshots or someone’s memory. And they can then be called to testify against you. So ensure you stay off social media and discuss what you can do with your lawyer only.
Contact a lawyer experienced in truck accidents
A truck accident is huge and complicated. More than one party is involved in a truck accident who is trying to get away with paying as little as possible. The driver, their employer, the truck company, their insurance company, manufacturer, and shipper are all involved. Thus making truck accidents a complex one. Contacting an experienced and skilled truck accident lawyer as early as possible can help your legal case more than you can imagine.
Even if you are a loved one of the truck accident person, you can help by hiring a good truck accident lawyer. As the steps listed above may be difficult for you to follow yourself, especially if you were not present on the premises, a lawyer can help out with the complex legal procedure.
There are many ways in which they will be of great help to you. The most important thing is that they will help you get the maximum compensation you deserve. Suppose you are unfairly affected in the accident where the other party was at fault. In that case, you rightfully deserve compensation for medical expenses and hospital bills, lost wages, pain, and suffering, and much more.
The bottom line
Unfortunate events such as an 18-wheeler truck accident can occur due to multiple reasons such as bad weather conditions, poor road conditions, fatigue and tiredness of the driver, drunk driving, distracted driving, mechanical faults in the vehicle, and truck being overweight.
Regardless of the accident’s cause, the impact and aftermath of the accident are devastating and alarming. Those involved in the accident may suffer severe injuries that may prove to be fatal. Everyone should be prepared beforehand for any such situations because nobody knows what may happen tomorrow. If you are ever in such a situation, do not panic. Follow the steps mentioned above to ensure your safety and the safety of others involved in the accident.
The most important thing an injured individual can do after a truck accident is to seek the help of an experienced and knowledgeable injury attorney, who can secure the evidence before it disappears. Once you have hired an attorney, they should immediately begin working to secure evidence to back your claims.