Due to the large size of commercial trucks, a truck accident can lead to catastrophic and serious injuries, sometimes even death. Most often, a person who is involved in a crash with a semi-truck is severely injured, and the only thing that comes to their mind after the accident is the chance of getting medical help that they immediately need. But if you’re in a truck accident and you’re lucky enough to walk away with not a single injury, there are certain vital steps that you require taking afterward to help you with the consequences.
If you or your family member has been injured in a truck accident and you wish to preserve the legal rights of your loved one, you may seek the help of truck accident lawyers from law firms like johnston-lawfirm.com. But before you take that step, here are a few important things to know about truck accidents.
What are the most common causes of truck accidents?
Source: forbes.com
If you are the driver of a commercial truck, a big rig, or a tractor-trailer, you will be presented with numerous challenges that regular passenger car drivers never experience. The principal reason behind so many challenges is the large size of the truck and the way it has to accommodate other cars on the road. The size of the truck makes them difficult to manage, which also implies that they can’t be manipulated as quickly as a small Passenger car.
Nevertheless, or truck accident can occur due to the mistake of the truck driver or the driver of a passenger car. Regardless of the car a driver is driving, he should be responsible and be aware of road hazards as soon as he sits behind the wheel. Here are the most common reasons behind truck accidents caused by commercial truck drivers:
- Inadequate training of the truck driver is one of the main causes of the increase in truck accidents. Drivers are not sure about the driving techniques, the safety procedures, and the defensive driving methods. Their inexperience often keeps them from reacting in a proper manner.
- Exhaustion or fatigue that results from the hectic schedules of trucking companies is yet another reason behind a large number of truck accidents. Truck drivers are bound by deadlines due to which they often have to drive long distances without getting ample sleep. There are trucking companies that encourage speeding and this leads to more accidents on road.
Pursuing a truck accident claim – Who are the defendants?
Source: tribuneindia.com
If you are a truck driver who has faced a coalition with a passenger car, the legal claims will include both the drivers and their insurance companies. When the accident involved a commercial truck, there might be more than one party involved. Here is a list of the potential defendants in a truck accident claim:
- The truck driver
- The trucking company
- The contractor
- The insurance company
- The employer of the truck driver
- The shipper or manufacturer of cargo
Immediate steps to take after a truck accident
The foremost step that you need to take after a truck accident is to determine your own physical condition, the state of your co-passengers, and the other people inside the vehicles that were involved in the crash. Safety should be your first priority after an accident. Here is a list of the steps that you must take.
1. Inform the police
If the accident occurred on a highway, the 911 dispatcher will route your call to the local law enforcement agency and they will also give an emergency call to the emergency responders. Make sure you inform the dispatcher about the total number of people involved in the accident and the number of vehicles so that they can send a sufficient number of ambulances on the spot of the accident. Even though the accident might seem minor to you, it is imperative that you get a police report.
2. Get medical help
Source: mirror.co.uk
Even if you think you have not been majorly hurt, it is necessary to get yourself medically evaluated. Not only should you be concerned about yourself but also the passengers who are involved in the accident. You may also have an injury like internal bleeding, which could be tough for you to understand immediately. In case you have been examined by a medical technician, ask for an entire medical evaluation at a doctor’s office or a hospital.
3. Document all sorts of evidence at the scene of the accident
This is one more thing that you should do at the scene of the accident but only when you’re not injured and you’ve escaped safely. What will happen if you’re on a busy highway and the police didn’t arrive yet? Documentation will include contact details, photos, of eyewitnesses, and everyone else who was involved in the collision. Also, take down notes of poor weather and road conditions.
4. Get the vehicle appraised
After the accident, the car might appear to have minor damage but just like the human body, there are certain damages that may show up later. They are often internal and invisible to the normal eye. Before you move on to the neighborhood car shop to get your car repaired, get it appraised. The repair estimate will play a vital role in your insurance claim. Insurance companies have various requirements for which you have to submit all documents to pay for your damages.
5. Appoint a truck accident attorney
Whether you were involved in a truck accident or you are a family member of someone who was involved in an accident, it is necessary to get the help of a truck accident lawyer. As a loved one of an injured person, you won’t be able to follow everything mentioned here as you would get puzzled. This is why it is vital to get legal help.
A truck accident can get complicated due to the involvement of multiple parties such as the trucking company, the employer of the driver, the manufacturer, or the shipper. If you wish to reduce the complexities of an accident claim, call an experienced and reliable truck accident lawyer who can walk you through the entire process and also protect your legal rights.
