What You Need to Know After a Truck Accident

Thompson Law Truck Accident Guide

Why are Truck Accidents Different from Other Wrecks?

Any car accident has the potential to be extremely dangerous and life changing. When you are involved in an accident with a large truck, especially commercial vehicles like 18 wheelers or extended box trucks, the consequences can be even more significant. Larger vehicles can more easily cause severe damage, more devastating injuries, are more often fatal, and the truck fleet company will have more power and experience protecting their interests than an individual alone.

After a serious truck accident, there are naturally so many concerns that arise. Missing work, getting to various doctors and physical therapy appointments, dealing with a damaged or totaled car, and mounting bills around all these tasks can cause a massive amount of stress. Thompson Law understands this pressure, and empathy for our clients informs all that we do.

Our process is designed to be as smooth and seamless as possible, our optimization to communicate with you in a wide variety of convenient ways, and the passion the drives our fight for your maximum compensation all set Thompson Law apart. For advice specific to your accident, give us a call or reach out online anytime and let us be your truck accident guide. If you’ve been in a truck accident, you can follow this truck accident guide for a quick list of what you should do.

844-308-8180

What to Do After a Truck Accident

Document, Document, Document

After an accident, it is important to document the events with photos, noting identifying information, and recording contact information of participants and witnesses. After a serious truck accident, this becomes even more important. Trucking companies and commercial vehicles registered to businesses have financial interests to protect, and the larger and more established they are, the more resources they have to defend themselves.

So, when you are fighting for a settlement from an insurance company representing a commercial vehicle, company truck, or fleet 18 wheeler, it is particularly important to be well-prepared with evidence of damage and injury that you suffered. Take lots of photos, get good angles on the vehicles involved and visuals of the impact they sustained. Be sure to take down driver license information, license plates, insurance, and any other registration or identifying information for the vehicle. Additionally, take down contact info for any witnesses who can corroborate the events that took place.

Finally, in cases of accidents with large trucks and commercial vehicles, it is important to file a police report. Call the police to the scene and cooperate with instructions as they take statements and make a report. Do not make statements to anyone else except the police, especially representatives from the trucking company or insurance companies. If you have any questions about what to say or how to proceed, you may call your attorney at any point, even from the scene of the accident. Thompson Law has legal experts standing by 24/7/365 to take your call and help you from the very first moment you need assistance. Don’t hesitate to reach out.

844-308-8180

Seek Medical Care

Following a truck wreck, it is essential to get a medical checkup. Sadly, due to the size and power of these vehicles, they can cause extreme damage to the other cars and objects they collide with, resulting in terrible injury and loss. In fact, in Texas in 2018 the rate of fatality from a truck accident was 370% greater than the rate of fatality from a passenger car accident. After a truck wreck, you may find that you have no choice in the matter of a medical check, as an ambulance may be called to the scene to help.

If you are lucky enough to walk away, be sure to make a trip to the doctor. Whether it’s the emergency room right away, or your doctor the next day, do yourself the favor of seeking medical evaluation. You will thank yourself later if you have sustained delayed onset injuries in the crash that were masked by your adrenaline rush. Not only will your chance of recovery be improved by early diagnosis, but your chance of a better settlement is improved because you have consistent documentation of injury and treatment.

Some common injuries after a serious truck accident include:

  • Internal Injuries and Internal Bleeding
  • Soft Tissue Injuries
  • Cuts and Bruises
  • Whiplash
  • Head Injuries
  • Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
  • Broken Bones
  • Spinal Injuries
  • Back Injuries
  • Neck Injuries
  • Disk Injuries
  • Joint Trauma and Sprains
  • Muscle, Ligament and Tendon Injuries
  • Amputations and Dismemberment
  • Paralysis
  • Death

Hire an Attorney to Be Your Truck Accident Guide

When you have been involved in a serious truck accident, it is important to make sure your interests are as well represented as the at-fault truck driver’s. Hiring an expert truck wreck lawyer can help you recoup your losses for the expenses, injuries, and suffering you endured, and offload the responsibility of fighting the insurance companies alone. Your lawyer will negotiate and even go to trial on your behalf to win every dollar you deserve in recovering losses from the following:

  • Medical Expenses
  • Property Damage
  • Lost Wages and Lost Earning Capacity
  • Pain and Suffering, Including Loss of Companionship
  • Other Special Damages

Working with an attorney can provide additional resources for financial decisions during the course of your claim. Many clients experience a pileup of bills in the aftermath of a serious accident – property damage and car repairs, medical bills, and missed work can all contribute to financial hardship. Work with your attorney to see what options are available to defer payments until after your settlement. Many medical and other institutions are willing to work with you on extended billing due dates when they know you are working with an experienced personal injury attorney to achieve the best possible settlement.

Many benefits come from engaging a professional personal injury firm after your accident. Experienced negotiators battle for your maximum compensation, insurance companies take your claim more seriously, medical and other institutions provide more options for settling expenses, and you receive a settlement check for your ordeal.

For more information about whether a personal injury firm like Thompson Law can help be your truck accident guide, give us a call anytime:

844-308-8180

 Why to Call Thompson Law After a Truck Accident

With these truck accident guide steps in mind after your serious truck accident, the question remains, how do you choose the right personal injury attorney to represent you? There are many resources available to assist in a search for the right firm. Online reviews and referrals from family and friends can be helpful resources in that search. Calling the firms on your shortlist to speak about your situation can answer specific questions about how a firm’s particular practices and experience can best serve you. With Thompson Law, this free consultation can be as simple as 15 minutes on the phone to set you on your way toward recovery and successful settlement.

Thompson Law has over 350 years of combined experience in personal injury law and has won thousands of settlements netting over $1.8 billion dollars for our clients. Additionally, we offer extensive options for communication and are passionate about using cutting edge technologies and resources to provide the best experience for our clients. Beyond our practices and qualifications however, at Thompson Law we treat clients like family.

Many of our team members have been personally affected by serious accidents just like our clients, and this empathy for others informs who we are and how we care for you. Reach out anytime in Dallas at 214-444-4444, in the North Dallas cities (e.g., Plano, McKinney, Richardson, Frisco) at 972-444-4444, in the Mid-Cities at 469-444-4444, or in Fort Worth at 817-444-4444.

844-308-8180

If you enjoyed this truck accident guide, you might also like:

What You Need to Know About Dallas Truck Accidents

Why Do Car Injuries Appear in a Delayed Manner?

 

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Thompson Law Guarantee

Thompson Law receives an attorney fee and you pay no legal fees as our client unless we pay you. Thompson Law has 350 years of combined experience in legal representation and has won over $1.8 billion dollars in cash settlements for our clients. We master the art of managing client cases with empathy, compassion, respect and, of course, prodigious skill. Contact us today for a free, risk-free consultation to discuss your accident and your options.

State law limits the time you have to file a claim after an auto accident. If you have been injured in an accident, call now to get the help you need.