Highway travel is stressful, especially when your compact car is surrounded by huge 18-wheelers. One wrong move or sudden blowout and your facing potential injury.
There are approximately 450,000 truck accidents in the United States every year. Each one poses more danger to passenger vehicles than the truck.
If you’re involved in an accident with a semi truck, there’s a good chance you can seek compensation for injuries or property damage. However, it’s important you take the following steps.
1. Get to a Safe Spot
The most important thing after an accident is the safety of you and the other parties. It’s important to move a safe location, especially if you’re on the highway.
If your vehicle is still operable, try to pull it to the side of the road. This will help avoid further impact with oncoming vehicles.
Once you’re out of your car, make sure you stand at a safe distance until the scene is under control. The last thing you want is additional injuries after the accident has occurred.
2. Call the Police
Regardless of the severity of the wreck, it’s important to contact the police. They’ll help secure the accident scene and create a report.
A police report will show what party was at fault. This is a crucial piece of information if you decide to seek legal action.
For truck accident lawyers, an official report helps them get a sense of how the accident played out and if negligence was a key factor.
3. Gather Information
Even though the police will provide an official report, it helps to get additional information on your own. This includes the truck driver’s name, contact, and insurance information.
If the driver was working for a company when the accident occurred, you need to write down the name of the organization and their phone number. There’s a good chance you’ll have to deal with them if you seek compensation.
It’s also a good idea to get the name and contact information of any witnesses. They could help your case if it goes to trial.
4. Document Everything
Truck accidents are difficult to reconstruct. That’s why it helps to document the scene as best you can.
Use your phone to take pictures of the damage to your vehicle and the truck. Try to photograph skid marks, damage to the roadway, and other vehicles that were involved.
5. Get Medical Attention
If you’re seriously injured, it goes without saying you should seek medical attention immediately. However, even if you feel like you’re okay, you still need to see a doctor.
It’s very common for minor injuries to deteriorate over time. Don’t pass a sore neck off as just stiffness. You may end up having major health issues down the road.
Plus, if you wait to seek medical attention, a judge may feel your injuries aren’t very severe.
Bounce Back After a Semi Truck Accident
Depending on the severity of the wreck, you may face medical bills and even lost wages as a result of time off work. It’s important you take measures to protect yourself.
Following these five steps after a semi truck accident will ensure your safety and help you move on with your life as soon as possible.
