However, the permissible weight of an 18-wheeled vehicle is approximately 80 000 pounds. Therefore, it is more difficult to drive trucks on the road and they cause more damage during an truck accident.
According to the National Road Safety Department, about 5,000 people are killed every year as a result of collisions with large trucks.
In accidents involving trucks, mortality rates increase for four years in a row. Last year, the number of pedestrians killed in accidents involving large trucks increased by an astounding 13 per cent.
Since trucks are so dangerous on the road, the area of cargo transportation is more rigorously regulated.
This means that when you are the victim of an accident truck, you need an experienced accident Truck Accident Attorney with a truck who knows the rules of cargo transportation and knows what to pay attention to in case of an accident.
Here are seven things you need to do after a truck accident to ensure that you get an authorized representative office and stay safe so that you have the best grounds to get full compensation for your injuries.
What to Do After a Truck Accident - Truck Accident Attorney
1. Make sure you're safe at the scene.
Many people who fall into the accident of the truck can not independently get out of the bottom of the rubble and do everything they need immediately after the accident. If you are seriously injured, do not try to act in the absence of danger. Just wait for medical help to come.
However, if you did not get serious injuries and were able to move, be sure to move away from your move to the roadside. If you are able to move your car, do it without endangering yourself or anyone else.
2. Call the police.
Immediately call the police for help. Try to determine how many people were involved in the accident. The police will send as many ambulances as necessary.
When the police arrive, they will close the scene and control the traffic passing by. They will then collect data to compile the accident report.
When you talk to the police, be honest about what is happening, but you do not need to make extensive statements. Just, in your opinion, describe what happened.
Do not confess your guilt. The police will prepare a report on the facts. Your Truck Accident Attorney will evaluate what is happening with you and who can be guilty. Police will receive testimony from any existing witnesses.
Say no to your injuries. If the police ask you that you are not harmed, tell the medical officer that you need to appear. Do not refuse medical help when it is offered to you.
Be sure to receive a copy of the police report.
3. Write the scene.
Try to record the scene on your mobile phone as long as you wait for the police to arrive.
- Write vehicles. Shoot videos or drive your car and any other vehicles that crashed. Write license plates and damage rate of each vehicle.
- Record your injury. If there is blood, there is any external damage or torn clothes, take pictures. If you can, if they did not receive serious injuries, take a picture of the other party that crashed.
- Write the scene. Take a video or take a picture of the scene. What are the weather conditions? Are traffic lights or signs installed nearby? Have people been around? These pictures can be valuable in determining the cause of the accident.
4. Do not accept your guilt
Never take your guilt when you talk to the police or insurance agent. Even if you believe that you are perhaps guilty, let your Truck Accident Attorney assess the true cause of the accident.
In the case, apart from the truck driver, several more defendants can be called.
- Truck manufacturer may be responsible for defective item which may cause accident
- If the truck is loaded incorrectly and it has resulted in an accident the cargo company can bear responsibility
- The transport company that hired the truck driver can be responsible:
- Inability to train a driver
- Inability to carry out verification of the driver's biographical data for the presence of a driver's license
- Non-compliance with the rules of Transportation, which limit the number of consecutive hours the driver can drive
Even if you think you are guilty, you may be guilty of others. This can affect how much compensation you will receive for your injuries. For truck accidents, let your attorney determine who is guilty of your accident.
5. Seek medical help immediately.
Always ask for medical help as soon as possible. If it is possible to seek medical help at the scene, accept it.
If it seems that you will not hurt, even go to the hospital for examination. There may be internal damage that you do not know.
You may also get injuries that do not show up during the hour or even the day. The doctor can immediately assess these injuries. If you expect to see a doctor, the Truck Accident Attorney of the other party or party can claim that you have received these injuries after the accident.
6. Avoid communication in social networks.
After an accident with a truck, you can publish what happened on social networks or let your friends and relatives know that everything is good for you.
You must oppose the desire to publish any photos or make any statements on social networks, especially about your injuries. Any of your statements may be revealed and used in court proceedings against you.
7. Call the insurance company.
Once you have the opportunity, call the insurance company to assess the damage caused to your vehicle. If, on the other hand, the insurance agent evaluates your car, do not make any statements. Just tell us what Foster Walles offers you and feel free to contact us.
Remember that even if your insurance company can send you a specialist to assess the damage caused to your car, they will definitely not help you. They are available to minimize the amount of compensation you may have to pay. Do not make any statements and have no idea about the amount of your loss.
Do not repair your car until the damage to your car is fully assessed.