In the days following a truck accident, you should contact the police, get treated for any injuries, and consider contacting a law firm to see if you could claim compensation.
Truck accidents can cause immeasurable losses, such as substantial injuries and property damage. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the agency that sets regulations for commercial trucks, crashes with large trucks cost more than $91,000 on average.
However, if you take the right steps following the accident, you might recover those costs—and possibly more.
File a Police Report
If you have not done so already, you should call the police to file a crash report. Some states have mandatory time limits for filing a report to remain in accordance with the law.
The police report can also be crucial evidence later if you decide to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver. If the officer at the scene declares one party negligent in the accident or gives them a ticket for the accident, that could prove your claim.
Seek Medical Attention
You should always get treated for any injuries following an accident. However, accidents with large trucks can cause even more damage. If you have not done so already, go to the primary care provider or hospital to get your injuries treated, even if you believe you cannot afford it. It is more important to ensure your health and safety than protecting your finances. Besides, you could recover compensation for your medical bills later through an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.
Showing that your injuries resulted from the accident is another crucial part of proving negligence in a personal injury claim. If you wait too long following an accident to seek medical attention, the other party might claim that your injuries did not result from the accident.
Set Up a Free Consultation with a Law Firm
After your accident, you might face mounting medical bills, car repair costs, lost wages, and other expenses. If the truck driver’s negligence caused the accident, you might be able to recover these costs and more with a truck accident lawyer on your side.
While you continue to recover from your injuries, you might benefit even more from having a lawyer’s help. Here are some things a lawyer can do for you to take some of the burdens off your shoulders during the aftermath of a truck accident.
Build Your Case
A truck accident lawyer can gather the evidence necessary to prove another party’s negligence in the truck accident. This evidence might include:
- Photos and videos of the accident scene
- Traffic camera footage
- Eyewitness accounts of the accident
- Police records
- Medical records
- Any bills resulting from the accident
- A medical professional’s testimony
- An accident reconstruction specialist’s report
An attorney will compile all this evidence to prove that you deserve compensation for your injuries and losses. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), almost 4,800 people died in accidents involving large trucks in 2017. If a loved one died following a truck accident, you could receive reimbursement for their funeral and burial expenses.
Negotiate a Settlement
A truck accident lawyer can use the evidence they gathered to negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf with either the negligent driver or their insurance company. Depending on where you live, they can also help you file a claim with your insurance company.
The insurance company’s adjuster might not want to offer you a settlement amount that meets your needs. They might also argue that you share more of the blame for the accident than the evidence shows. If this is the case, a truck accident lawyer might suggest filing a lawsuit and trying your case in court. Still, the case could settle in mediation before it ever reaches trial.
Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm Today
In the days following a truck accident, you should get medical attention, file a police report, and consider meeting with an attorney. If you or your loved one suffered injuries in a truck accident, you might recover compensation.
Pintas & Mullins Law Firm is here to help victims of truck accidents caused by someone else’s negligence. We believe that an accident you did not cause should not harm you any further through medical bills and other costly expenses.
A truck accident lawyer from our firm can help you build your claim and negotiate a fair settlement with an insurance company. We also never receive a fee unless we win you an award, so you do not have to worry about any upfront or out-of-pocket costs.
Call a member of the Pintas & Mullins Law Firm team today at (800) 223-5115. We can help you seek justice and compensation so you can move on with your life following a truck accident.