What To Do If You’re In A Truck Accident
Posted in Truck Accidents on December 11, 2020
Driving around large commercial trucks can be a scary experience. These vehicles are much larger and weigh much more than traditional passenger cars on the roadway. If you or somebody you love has been involved in an accident with a large commercial truck, you need to know the steps to take to ensure that you are medically cared for and that you receive the compensation you are entitled to.
After a Tennessee truck accident: 7 steps to take
Immediately following a truck crash, there is likely to be significant confusion. Your number one priority needs to be assessing your condition and the condition of your passengers, and getting anyone in your vehicle to a safe location.
1. Call the police
Nearly every truck accident that occurs in Tennessee is going to be severe enough to call 911. Let the dispatcher know that an accident has occurred, where it is, whether or not you suspect there are injuries. A police report will be a valuable piece of evidence for insurance purposes or a personal injury lawsuit.
2. Seek medical care
Even if you do not think you have sustained a severe injury, it is crucial that you and any of your passengers get a medical evaluation. If you delay seeking treatment and later discover that you were injured, it can be harder to demonstrate that the injury happened due to the truck accident.
3. Document evidence at the scene
If it is safe to do so and you are uninjured, you can begin documenting the scene with the camera on your phone or some other type of camera. Take photographs of damages to vehicles, debris lying around, injuries, traffic conditions, weather conditions, and more. Make sure to get photographs of everything from varying angles and distances. You should also gather information from other people involved in the incident, including the following:
- Other driver’s license number
- Other driver’s insurance carrier information
- The name and contact information of the truck driver’s employer
- The license plate number and other identifying information of the truck
4. Get the contact information of any witnesses
If there were any eyewitnesses to the truck crash, make sure to get their names in contact information as well. This can include someone in other vehicles involved or those in vehicles that were driving by, as well as bystanders who were nearby that were not involved. You do not have to get statements from the witnesses, but you should get their names and contact information so they can be contacted by insurance carriers or legal teams down the road.
5. Be wary of what you say
You need to be careful what you say in the aftermath of a vehicle accident. Whether you are angry or scared or think that you may have caused the accident, you need to focus on saying as little as possible. Do not admit fault or liability for causing the truck crash, even if you are certain you may have caused the incident. Do not lie, but do not talk about the details of the incident. Let the insurance carriers or a lawyer handle that part.
6. Avoid social media
It can be very tempting to post the details of an accident on social media. It is almost second nature to reach for the phone and pull up Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, or blog and start talking about the incidents going on in our lives. However, do not post anything on your social media networks that could indicate your physical or emotional conditions or information about how you think the accident happened. You can be sure that this information will be found by insurance carriers or opposing lawyers, regardless of how good do you think your privacy settings are.
7. Contact a truck accident lawyer
You should speak to a skilled Tennessee truck accident lawyer as soon as possible after an incident occurs. An attorney will be able to guide you through this entire process and use their resources to investigate every aspect of the incident. They will represent you in court and work to secure maximum compensation on your behalf.