5 Ways to Handle a Truck Accident

Updated 11/14/24

Experiencing a truck accident can be a harrowing ordeal that leaves everyone with physical injuries, emotional stress, and financial burdens. A wrecked truck’s sheer size and weight can often result in significant damage and serious injuries, making the consequences of such accidents particularly severe. Understanding how to manage a truck accident case effectively is crucial to ensure that victims receive the compensation they deserve and that their rights are protected under truck accident laws.

Taking the right steps after the accident will impact the outcome of the case. First, it’s crucial to seek medical attention for any injuries and thoroughly document the scene. This documentation will serve as critical evidence to support claims, especially when determining truck accident liability. Working with experienced truck accident law firms can provide invaluable guidance during this challenging time, as these professionals understand the complexities involved in these cases.

Additionally, understanding the specifics of truck accident laws and how they differ from regular vehicle accidents can help your case. Factors such as the driver’s negligence, truck maintenance records, and company regulations must be established. Familiarizing yourself with these elements and engaging knowledgeable legal representatives will ensure you can navigate the complexities of your situation effectively. Here is what you do.

Millions of people lose their lives on the road each year, and a disproportionate amount of those people are involved in truck accidents. It’s not hard to see why. You don’t need all the truck accident information about incidents you hear on the news to deduce that in most truck accidents, the truck wins.
We’re going to level with you. We believe in the power of the personal injury lawyer, and loathe the term “ambulance chaser.” This is because there’s a lot a personal injury attorney could do for you, especially if you’ve been involved in one of these truck accidents. But we’re not going to lecture you about “what do lawyers do.” We’re going to tell you what you can do after a truck accident if you’re lucky enough to get out of it alive, so that whatever you decide, you’ll be empowered to go the distance.
1. Take pictures.
We live in an increasingly photo-obsessed era, and in the case of truck accidents, that’s actually a good thing. If you’ve been involved in a truck accident, have you or someone you trust take photos of the damage to your car, the accident site, and any injuries you suffered. Make sure these photos are taken as soon as possible after the accident, and make sure they’re time stamped. Even if you decide not to pursue legal action, this photo evidence will help the insurance companies do their work.
2. Ask if the truck driver was drinking.
Call the police to the scene of any accident. If you’re conscious, participate in creating the police report. At the very least, read the police report, and pay attention to the part about the legal drinking limit. There are 300 thousand drunk drives on the road on any given night, and they manage to injure someone every two minutes. If that person is you, you deserve to know.
3. Ask if the truck driver was texting while driving.
These kinds of distractions contribute to injuries almost as much as drinking does! Don’t forget to ask about the phone when advocating for yourself.
4. Find out what truck company the driver was working for.
This may seem like a strange suggestion. After all, a truck is a truck, right? Wrong. Every truck company has its own set of rules and regulations. Most, but not all of them are in line with the law, but some are extra. Therefore, it could be that your driver was abiding by the law, but not by the stipulations of their contract when they caused you injury. Maybe they didn’t get the right amount of sleep, were taking a non-approved route, or had extra cargo in back that hindered their control of the vehicle. Either way, knowing where the driver works will make it far less likely that they will be involved in one of these truck accidents again, and make it far MORE likely that you’ll be compensated for the harm done to you.
5. Call a lawyer.
Many law firms offer free consultations and will give you honest advice about whether or not you have a case against the truck driver that involved you in an accident. We highly recommend taking all evidence to one of these law firms and pleading your case to them before you plead your case anywhere else.