Truck accidents can be traumatic, jarring experiences for everyone involved, especially if you’re the driver or passenger of another vehicle and the last thing you see before being hit is a large, 30,000-pound vehicle coming your way. You may be unsure of what to do in the immediate moments following your accident, and you don’t want to do or say anything that might ruin your chances at securing financial compensation from the driver who caused your injuries.
Fortunately, you’re not alone. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, one in 10 highway deaths that occur in crashes involve large trucks. Our lawyers have helped countless injured individuals process their accidents and move towards resolutions that benefit them and their futures. With years of experience, we understand the truck accident procedure process thoroughly as it pertains to truck drivers and victims and their families.
What to Do If You’re a Truck Driver
If you’re a truck driver involved in an accident, it’s essential to make sure everyone involved in the accident is safe. Pull over your truck and call the authorities to the scene before doing anything else. Then, if you’re carrying cargo that is dangerous to others or the environment, you need to understand the protocol for preventing spills and making sure your cargo is undamaged. Flares may be necessary if your cargo has spilled out onto the road, as it can allow you to clean things up without being put in danger.
Once injured victims have been helped and your cargo has been secure, you may need to contact your employer, who can take down notes and connect you with the insurance company. Your employer can then coordinate sending you a new truck or having someone pick up you and your cargo so the delivery can be made on time.
You may need to provide your insurance company with information like mile and rest logs, photos of the accident scene, and the contact information of those involved in the accident. The best way to avoid losing your license to comply with the authorities and submit yourself to any tests they decide to conduct.
What to Do If You’re a Victim
If you were injured by a truck driver, there’s a possibility that your accident was caused by negligence and that you are entitled to seeking financial compensation. As a result, it’s important to follow certain steps to better your chances at securing the full amount of compensation you need under the law.
After your accident, it’s important to call the authorities and seek medical attention for any injuries. Even if you have a symptom as minor as a slight headache, a headache can worsen over time or even be an indication of an underlying, more serious injury if left untreated.
You then need to document as much of your accident as possible so that when you hire a personal injury attorney to get started on your claim, you can pass along the information you’ve gathered.
Information you should collect includes:
- Photos of your injuries and vehicle damage
- Contact information of the truck driver and trucking company
- Contact information or statements of witnesses
- Copy of the crash report, which authorities are required to file with their police department
Calling a law firm sooner rather than later can help you cover the costs of damages quickly so you can avoid going into debt. This is especially important if you’ve suffered from more serious injuries after a truck accident, like spinal cord injuries, burns, or brain injuries.
Guiding Injured Clients Through the Legal Process
The aftermath of a disastrous truck accident is often challenging to navigate. You may feel flustered, overwhelmed, and consumed by your pain, as truck accidents often cause catastrophic injuries that can be permanent and difficult to recover from. With a trusted personal injury law firm by your side, though, your healing process can be more efficient and less time-consuming. At Thorp Law, our truck accident attorney go above and beyond to care for our clients and achieve their legal goals. Knowing that most people aren’t familiar with the claims process, we’re able to walk you through your case one step at a time, and we don’t act until you are informed and give us permission to move forward.
Catastrophic injuries can be expensive to treat not just immediately following your truck accident, but in the months and even years after as well. Our lawyers are always on the side of everyday individuals in our community and want to ensure your future is bright, which is why we pursue the full amount of financial compensation you deserve to pay for damages.
Long-term costs you must consider with catastrophic injuries that we can cover include:
- Counseling
- Physical therapy
- At-home nursing care
- Medical equipment like wheelchairs, lifts, and more
- Costs of retrofitting your home for medical equipment
- Medications
- Reduced earning capacity
- Additional procedures and treatments
- Custodial care
Whether you’ve lost a limb or have sustained a brain injury, you can count on us to do whatever we can to hold negligent drivers responsible for their actions.
Our attorney can demystify the claims process for you when you call Thorp Law at (919) 373-3390, or contact us online. When you’ve been seriously injured in an accident, you deserve to have your rights protected by a compassionate and committed legal team.