5 Steps to Take After a Large Truck Crash
Truck accident victims are often entitled to seek compensation for the damages they incur as a result of their injuries. Whether they actually recover a payout, however, hinges on a variety of factors, including the steps they took—or failed to take—in the days and weeks following the wreck.
If you were recently hurt in a large truck crash, make sure to do the following right away so your claim has the best chance of success:
1. Preserve Evidence from the Scene
If you gathered any evidence before leaving the scene, make copies to ensure redundancy, and then store everything in a safe place. Once you hire a lawyer, give the original files to your legal team for review and safekeeping.
Evidence from the scene that may contribute to the strength of your truck accident claim includes:
- Photographs of the wreckage;
- Dash cam footage;
- Surveillance recordings;
- Toxicology reports;
- The official police report; and
- Eyewitness testimony.
2. Seek Medical Care
Even if you feel relatively fine in the aftermath, it’s essential that you visit a doctor as soon as possible. From whiplash to brain damage, there are a number of impact injuries that aren’t always immediately apparent. Without prompt treatment, though, life-threatening complications can arise.
Undergoing an exam right away will also ensure there’s a link between the crash and any injuries you did sustain by starting a paper trail. If you were to postpone getting care for days or even weeks, the liability party would inevitably challenge causation during the subsequent proceedings.
3. Refuse to Give a Recorded Statement
Fairly soon after the accident, the at-fault party’s insurance carrier may reach out to you and request a statement. If you have yet to conduct a thorough investigation of your own, discussing the wreck could lead you to say something that the claims adjuster later uses to challenge your credibility.
In that same vein, you should avoid commenting on your injuries until you’ve confirmed the total extent of the damages.
4. Track Damages Diligently
If you overlook any recoverable damages—or fail to preserve their corresponding documentation—you won’t be able to pursue the maximum payout possible. Therefore, it’s essential to save all relevant medical records, hospital bills, and receipts and invoices for injury-related expenses from day one.
You should also start a personal injury journal. Detailed entries will help demonstrate the extent of your non-economic damages, like pain and suffering, when the time comes.
5. Call a Personal Injury Attorney
The sooner you seek legal counsel, the sooner you can start building your claim. What’s more, enlisting help right away will ensure you don’t jeopardize your case inadvertently fairly early in the proceedings. As long as you can refer the opposing party to a lawyer, they can’t manipulate you into admitting fault or accepting an unfair settlement.
Discuss Your Case with a Truck Accident Lawyer in West Palm Beach
At Donaldson & Weston, we advocate for accident victims and their loved ones. Our tireless team has assisted hundreds of clients during personal injury and wrongful death proceedings. Call 561-299-3999 or use our Online Contact Form to set up a free consultation with a truck accident attorney in West Palm Beach.
