When you are involved in a truck accident, it is important to make sure that you follow proper procedures. Immediately following an accident, it can be easy to let emotions overtake the situation, which can lead to mistakes and carelessness. But the stress of the moment is not an excuse for not covering your bases.
The purpose of this article is to discuss what needs to be done, how to protect your rights, and how to ensure your safety.
Get Medical Care
As soon as you get to a safe place, make sure that you get medical care. Trucking accidents often are much more dangerous and often lead to more serious injuries than common two-car vehicle crashes. Following an accident, your adrenaline will be running high, so you may not feel the severity of the pain or injury, but that doesn’t mean you’re in the clear.
Even if you feel okay, it is still a good idea to get checked out by a doctor. Oftentimes, a minor injury or soreness can lead to a serious injury later on. Having documentation from a doctor noting the soreness or pain can be strong evidence to receive compensation from an insurance company, as opposed to ignoring the pain and later trying to prove that the injury resulted from the accident.
Document the Scene
Once you have assessed the situation and are ready to leave, it is important to document the scene. This will ensure that you have a full picture of what happened in case there are any questions down the road. This will also help to settle any disputes that may come up weeks or months down the road when the memories of what happened aren’t as clear.
Be sure to make notes or take pictures of the following items:
- Your injuries (if possible)
- Other people’s injuries
- The truck and its license plate number
- Other driver’s name and insurance info
Take photos of the damage as soon as possible after it happens. This will help you get reimbursed by your insurance company if they dispute the repairs you need to make.
By taking note of all these areas and documenting everything, you can feel at ease going into the next step of getting a claim paid and covered.
Follow Up With Insurance
If everything goes according to plan, the insurance company will pay out everything you requested in a timely manner. However, there are often bumps along the way. Although insurance companies are normally very good at delivering payments and working with their customers, they are not eager to give away money. After all, they are businesses.
If you feel that you are being taken advantage of, or if things are moving very slowly, it may be a good idea to get an attorney involved. In addition to fighting the insurance agency, an attorney can make sure that you receive all of the benefits you deserve.
It is actually a good idea to have an attorney view your policy now so that you can determine what kind of compensation you are eligible to receive and make any necessary changes.
Conclusion
There are many steps to take when involved in a truck accident, and it’s important to follow them. By understanding how to handle the aftermath of an accident with a large vehicle, you can protect yourself from further harm and ensure that you get the compensation you deserve.
