When you’re involved in a motor vehicle accident with a commercial truck, there are a myriad of things to consider even at the scene. First of all, commercial trucks can cause immense damage on the roads. They are often the largest, most powerful vehicles on the roadways. The damage they can do to you can be catastrophic. So it’s vitally important that you seek medical treatment at the very outset of an accident with a commercial truck. It’s important for many reasons, not the least of which is the more quickly you receive treatment, the better the chance of your survival and recovery. Additionally, should you seek damages resulting from the accident, it’s incumbent upon you, the plaintiff, to minimize the medical damages by getting swift medical treatment and ensuring you don’t contribute to a worsening condition by delaying treatment. Should a court find you delayed treatment, you may be on the hook for some of your medical expenses even if the defendant is found fully responsible for the initial injuries.
(Know the Elements of a Truck Sideswiping Accident)
Another thing to consider is the accident’s cause. If you end up seeking damages, you’ll need to have a good sense of what caused the accident in the first place and be able to attribute it to a defendant. Of course, every traffic accident is different in some way. However, some accidents are more commonplace than others. In many cases a truck accident’s cause can be attributed to:
- Inexperience of the Driver
- Driver Fatigue
- Distracted Driving
- Driving while impaired
- Speeding
- Transporting a load that is too large for the rig in question
- Dangerous weather conditions
Whatever the cause, you may be able to recover damages for injuries, loss of employment, loss of employability, pain and suffering and more if your personal injury attorney can prove fault on the part of the truck driver or another entity. It will also be important to prove that your injuries and other losses are the result of accident in question.
What to Do in the Aftermath of a Trucking Accident
To protect your legal right to recover damages as a result of your accident, you’ll need to take these steps immediately following your trucking accident:
Contact the Police Department
You will need to officially document the accident, and there’s no better way to do that than a police report. This will go a long way to proving your claim, so remember to give this to your attorney to help build your case. The police will come to the scene of the accident and interview all parties involved. They’ll take photos of the scene and likely speak with eyewitnesses as well, all in an effort to get a clear picture of what happened and develop a theory on how it happened.
Go Immediately to the Hospital and Seek Medical Treatment
Again, it’s vitally important that you seek medical attention right away and follow-up with any treatment or protocols your physician recommends to ensure you don’t impede the recovery process in any way. Your health is the first consideration. Don’t neglect that in this process. Ensure you provide a copy of your medical records, so that they may prove your injuries, treatment and medical costs.
Seek the Counsel of an Experienced Trucking Accident Attorney
If you’ve been injured by a commercial truck, you can bet they have a team of attorneys and a commercial insurer that fights legal cases like yours in their sleep. You will want an experienced personal injury attorney with a specialty in trucking accident claims in your corner to fight for your right to compensation.
In addition to a few do’s, there are a couple of don’t you want to avoid when injured in an accident with a commercial truck. They are as follows:
Don’t Share Any Information About Your Accident
The legal team and insurer for the defendant(s) in your claim will be looking for every advantage they can find to fight your claim. Don’t help them by posting anything about your accident on social media. In fact, it’s a good rule of thumb to not share information about your accident with anyone other than your legal and medical teams. Anything you post can be used against you in your claim. Keep your focus on recovery, and work with your attorney to recover the highest award damages you’re entitled to receive in your case.
Don’t Accept a Quick Settlement Offer Without Careful, Careful Consideration
It may be tempting, but if you accept a quick settlement offer, it may do more harm than good, for you that is. The insurer will be happy to settle the claim quickly, of course. But in order to accept that offer, you’ll need to sign away your rights to further damages resulting from the accident. And do you really want to do that? Do you really want to sign away your right to potential medical costs or therapy resulting from the accident that may emerge down the line? Do you really want to sign away your right to damages that may not be accounted for in your quick settlement offer? Damages like pain and suffering (which may only develop months after the accident), loss of employment, loss of consortium or other damages can often only be realized well into the course of treatment. A quick settlement offer will release the defendant from responsibility for these costs, and you’ll be left on the hook. Do you really want that?
If you’ve been injured in a trucking accident and want to find a Chicago personal injury attorney with a track record of success in winning large award claims in trucking accident cases, call Bizzieri Law Offices at 773.881.9000. We know how to win and will work hard to ensure you get the largest award to which you may be entitled in your claim. The claim review process is easy and is free of charge, and we never collect a fee unless we recover damages for you.