Truck accidents are often catastrophic scenes. When a fully loaded truck weighing up to 80,000 pounds collides with a standard family vehicle weighing an average of 4,000 pounds, the injuries are often severe, with life-altering consequences to the injury victims. About 70% of truck accident injuries occur to motorists in smaller vehicles, not the truck driver.
After an accident, severe injuries may keep a truck accident victim from taking any purposeful actions on their own behalf. For instance, if they are unconscious or incapacitated by their injuries they may have to rely on others for help. However, if an accident victim can use their phone—or hand it to an uninjured person to use for them—they can take steps to protect their safety and financial future.
The Steps to Take After a Truck Accident
At the scene of the accident, important evidence of the at-fault party’s liability can be lost when emergency services arrive and move the vehicles to restore traffic flow. A cell phone camera becomes an important tool for documenting evidence at the scene. Use the cell phone to take the following steps:
- First, call 911 to report the accident and apply reasonable first aid
- Then, use the phone’s camera to quickly snap photos of the accident scene, including the damaged vehicles where they came to rest
- Photograph the truck’s identification number—the Department of Transportation (DOT) number typically displayed on the doors of the truck cab
- Photograph anything relevant to the cause of the accident like skid marks, a traffic signal, or a road hazard like construction debris or potholes
- Add the contact information of the driver
- Add the contact information of any eyewitnesses to the scene
Eyewitnesses are a key component of a successful truck accident claim, especially when there are no traffic cameras or nearby security cameras to capture images of the accident.
What Steps Should I Take During the Days After the Truck Accident?
It’s critical to seek medical treatment after a truck accident, either by riding in an ambulance if you have severe injuries or by arranging transportation directly from the accident scene if your injuries don’t appear severe. At the hospital, you can request a full medical exam as well as treatment for emergency injuries. A thorough evaluation helps to identify and treat any injuries with delayed symptom presentation or signs that you didn’t notice because of the adrenaline rush of the accident.
Ask the medical providers for a detailed medical report listing your injuries, the doctor’s recommendation for treatment, and your prognosis. This becomes critical evidence in your compensation claim. Then, be careful to meticulously follow your doctor’s instructions and save all medical bills and receipts for related expenses.
Common Tactics Insurance Companies Use to Deny Truck Accident Claims
Insurance companies protect their profits—typically at the injury victim’s expense. Insurance companies may assign injury victims a percentage of fault for the accident. For example, if you were exceeding the speed limit when the accident occurred they could say that you contributed to the accident even if the truck driver made an unsafe lane change and collided with your car. This reduces the amount of the injury victim’s compensation by their percentage of fault under comparative negligence laws. Insurance companies may also do the following:
- Reach out very soon after the accident with a low settlement offer before you know the true extent of your damages
- Follow you on social media to “catch” you appearing fit and uninjured
- Deny that your doctor’s medical treatment is necessary for your injuries
- Call you on a recorded line and use your words out of context against you
- Unnecessarily delay progress on your claim
Insurance companies routinely undervalue claims or deny their policyholder’s liability. If your damages amount to $100,000 but the insurance adjuster finds you 25% at fault for the accident, they can reduce your compensation to $75,000 which benefits their bottom line.
How Can a Truck Accident Attorney Help?
After an accident, it takes a Cherry Hill truck accident lawyer to protect your best interests and ensure that you recover the maximum compensation available for your economic and non-economic damages like property damage, lost income, and compensation for pain and suffering. Call Cuneo & Leonetti today for a results-oriented approach to your financial recovery so you can focus on your physical recovery.