If you are the victim of a negligent truck driver and suffer injuries in a semi-truck accident, doing the right things at the scene could help you build a claim and recover compensation later. Some of the things you should do when possible on the scene of any traffic accident include:
- Protect yourself from further injury
- Gather evidence
- Save names and contact information
Prioritize Your Health and Well-Being
Your safety is the most vital thing to consider on the scene of a truck accident. It is critical to make choices that prevent you from further harm, such as staying in the car and buckled up until help arrives, or moving away from the vehicle if there is additional danger.
If you believe you have serious injuries or significant pain, do not worry about taking any other steps to support your insurance claim or legal case. Instead, call 911 and wait safely until first responders arrive.
Get Medical Attention as Soon as Possible
You should get a thorough medical evaluation from a doctor as soon as possible after a crash. If the paramedics on the scene believe you need ambulance transportation to the nearest hospital, trust them.
If they tell you an ambulance is not necessary, you have a few options for seeking care:
- Have a family member or friend take you to the emergency department as soon as you leave the scene.
- Make an appointment today or very soon with your family doctor.
- Go to an urgent care facility or another walk-in clinic.
The faster you see a doctor, the better. There are several reasons why:
- They can examine you to identify any injuries and begin treatment.
- It links your injuries with the accident, preventing the insurer from claiming they happened in another way.
- It documents your injuries and the treatment costs.
For a free legal consultation, call (800) 537-8185
Take Pictures and Videos of the Scene and Each Vehicle
If your injuries allow, use your phone or a camera to snap pictures of each vehicle, the damage done, where the collision occurred, and wide shots of the entire scene. You can make a video instead if you prefer.
These pictures or videos may prove to be vital in your case. Accident reconstruction specialists may use them in their recreations of what happened, and they could even become evidence if your case goes to trial. Ensure they include:
- The tag on each vehicle
- All areas of damage
- Any outside property damage to fences and other structures
- Any street signs or signals nearby
- Any hazards in the road
Get Information About Witnesses and Others Involved
If possible, take down the name and contact information of anyone in the collision and eyewitnesses you speak with at the scene. You can record this information:
- In the “Notes” app on your phone
- In your phone’s contacts
- On scrap paper you carry for this reason
This may be important when building your case because the police officers who respond may not interview all witnesses or get correct names and phone numbers.
If you hire our team to represent you, we will want to speak with some or all eyewitnesses of your crash to determine if they saw anything that could make proving fault and liability easier. These interviews might be impossible if we cannot identify these individuals.
Click to contact our personal injury lawyers today
Begin a Case as Soon as Your Truck Accident Injuries Allow
If you plan to seek damages from the party responsible, you may want to contact an attorney’s office as soon as possible following your collision. Our firm provides complimentary consultations, so you have nothing to lose by reaching out to discuss your case and evidence with us. Our team could help you by handling your insurance claim or lawsuit while you focus on overcoming your injuries and healing physically.
Acting quickly is vital because of the strict deadlines that apply to filing personal injury lawsuits. Each state enforces its own statute of limitations, or filing window, for these cases.Allowing it to pass can disqualify you from collecting compensation.
You could even have less time than the statute of limitations seems to provide under some circumstances. The truck accident attorney we assign to your case will help you determine the applicable deadline for your lawsuit.
Connect with an Attorney from Morris Bart, LLC Today for Free
The Morris Bart law firm offers free case evaluations for truck accident victims. We are a contingency fee law firm and serve clients from 15 locations in four states: Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Collectively, our team has 40 years of experience and secured compensation for 6,500 clients in 2019.
When we represent you, our goal is to handle all of the tough legal aspects of the case and fight for your financial recovery while you heal and return to your life. Call (800) 537-8185 now for your complimentary case evaluation.
Questions?Call (800) 537-8185
to find a Morris Bart office near you.
