When a negligent truck driver causes an accident, you want to hold him and the trucking company that he works for responsible for compensating you for your injuries. You need to do everything possible to strengthen your claim and increase the likelihood that you will receive all that you are owed. Here are some of the steps you want to take that will help you achieve this goal.
Start Taking These Steps Right After Your Accident
Your job of doing what you can to prove your right to compensation begins right after the negligent truck driver hits you. Start out right by doing these things:
Seek medical care.
Your health is of primary concern, and you want to seek immediate medical care if you are injured. Even if you do not believe you were hurt, you want to see your doctor within a day or two of your wreck. Adrenaline could mask symptoms, or others could take days or weeks to develop. By obtaining quick medical care, you protect your health and avoid an argument with the insurance company that you were not hurt in the wreck.
Obtain police report.
Contact the police and obtain a copy of the police report. You will need it when you file your claim. In addition, it will contain important contact information for the driver and witnesses, the officer’s summary of how the crash occurred, and whether the truck driver was issued a ticket.
Obtain contact information.
You want to collect contact information for the truck driver, the trucking company, their insurance companies, and any witnesses to the wreck.
Pictures.
Take pictures of the damage to the vehicles, your injuries, the crash scene, skid marks, and anything else that could be helpful to proving how the wreck happened.
Save your clothes.
If your clothes are torn or bloodied, save them as they could be powerful evidence of the seriousness of your collision if your case goes to jury trial.
Contact your insurance company.
You want to report the wreck to your own insurance company even if you do not plan to file a claim. This preserves your rights if you later decide that you should file a claim under your own insurance policy.
Follow up on your medical care.
It is important that you follow your doctor’s instructions as to your medical care for your health and your claim. If you try to “tough it out” and do not obtain the medical treatments you need, it can give the trucker and trucking company an argument that you were not as seriously injured as you claim.
Save receipts and documents.
You will need to prove your right to the compensation you request. Save medical records, medical bills, and documentation of the wages you have lost.
Retain an attorney.
You want to hire an experienced truck wreck attorney as soon as possible after your crash. He can investigate your crash, file your claim with the insurance companies for the trucker and trucking company, and negotiate your settlement for you.
Have You Been Injured In A Texas Truck Accident?
If you've been injured in a truck accident you need to speak with an experienced truck accident injury attorney as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our Colleyville office directly at 817.485.8888 to schedule your free consultation.
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