What You Need to Do If You Were a Victim of a Truck Accident
Truck accidents can be devastating for the people involved. The commercial vehicles are capable of causing extensive damage. You may not be thinking straight when you are in an accident involving a commercial truck, but you need to keep things together to get fair compensation for your injuries. If you are the victim of an accident that involves a commercial truck, it is essential that you follow the below-mentioned steps to get fair compensation for your injuries.
Step 1: Go to a Doctor
The first thing you need to do is visit a doctor and have them examine you. You need to go to a doctor even if you are feeling alright after the accident. Some injuries, especially internal injuries, can’t be detected by someone other than a doctor.
Another advantage of visiting a doctor after an accident with a truck is that it helps in documenting all the injuries you may have suffered due to the accident. If these are not documented properly at the time of the accident, things might become difficult for you when you are asked to prove that your injuries are the result of the truck accident.
Step 2: Get in Touch with Law Enforcement
If you are able, you should contact the cops as quickly as possible after the accident. Once the police arrive, they will prepare an accident report. This accident report will help in preserving the evidence which you will need at a later date.
Step 3: Take Photos
If possible, you should take as many photos as possible at the accident scene. You should try to take photos from multiple angles and includes shots of the truck, your injuries as well as your vehicle among other things.
Step 4: Gather Information
Immediately after the accident, you should try to gather as much information as you can about the truck driver as well as other people at the scene. You should try to get the name, license, as well as insurance information of the truck driver and contact details of the eyewitnesses. Once you leave the scene, it will be next to impossible to get hold of anyone who was involved. It’s also recommended to get the vehicle DOT license number for that truck and trailer.
Step 5: Don’t Touch Your Vehicle
Do not make the mistake of trying to make any changes to the scene before the police arrive. Your vehicle should be left in the original condition until it is appraised. You should know that your insurance may require the repair estimate as a part of the claim and experts may also require the report to find out whether a defect was involved.
Step 6: Hire a Truck Accident Attorney
The most important thing you need to do after being involved in a truck accident is to get in touch with an experienced attorney specializing in truck accidents. There is no dearth of attorneys dealing with personal injury cases, but it is crucial that you only hire the services of a law firm specializing in truck accidents. A truck accident usually involves many different legalities, and it’s important to work with an experienced attorney to get fair compensation for your troubles.
Keep in mind that the trucking company will always hire specialized attorneys to keep their payout to a minimum. Attorneys specializing in truck accidents have the necessary experience needed to conduct an investigation, save the key evidence as well as handle the insurance adjusters and attorneys employed by the other parties.
Schedule Your Free Consultation With Our Personal Injury Lawyer
Christopher Montes de Oca is an experienced personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles. Chris is recognized as a “Super Lawyer Rising Star,” a recognition that only 2.5 percent of lawyers receive, because of the exceptional results he has seen and his dedication to his clients. Chris services clients throughout Los Angeles, including Echo Park, Maywood, Long Beach, Whittier, Glendale, La Mirada, Pico Rivera, Hacienda Heights, and Alhambra. Call him today for a free consultation at (562) 901-4664.