by tfarino
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You do not need much imagination to see that an accident with a big commercial truck or bus could be devastating. Each year, trucking accidents injure about 130,000 people. Serious injuries are commonplace, including head trauma, internal bleeding, and spinal damage. Large trucks are involved in 74% of accidents where the occupants of passenger vehicles die. Too often, the emotional, physical, and financial damages take a significant toll on victims or surviving family members. Due to the complexity of trucking accidents, victims frequently consult truck injury lawyers.
Immediate First Steps
A collision with a box truck or 18-wheeler can be terrifying. Vehicle occupants may be so severely injured that they are utterly dependent on the arrival of emergency responders.
However, if you are able, you should move your vehicle or yourself to the side of the road to get out of the way of traffic or vehicle fires. After getting yourself to a safer spot, you should notify authorities and begin evidence collection.
1. Call the Police
A truck accident warrants a call to 911. Police may need to redirect traffic and manage the removal of wrecked vehicles. Once law enforcement arrives, answer the officer’s questions honestly but do not admit fault. The police report provides valuable information that insurers and Nevada personal injury attorneys will want to see. You or your lawyer can track down the report later by requesting it from the police department that responded to your crash. compensation.
2. Collect information from everyone involved in the crash
As you know, people who get into a motor vehicle accident need to exchange their contact and insurance information. You will do the same thing in a truck crash. Ask to see the truck driver’s commercial license and insurance. Also, ask about the employer. The trucking company could bear liability for your injuries as well. If the driver has an employee badge, take a picture of it with your phone.
3. Ask for witness contact information and statements
If any witnesses are present at the crash scene, talk to them. They may have seen things that could be useful for proving that you are the victim of negligence. Collect their contact information and record their statements.
4. Take photos or videos of the scene
Smartphones have become an excellent tool for collecting evidence at crash scenes. The computer stamps the images with date and time information. You can take pictures or videos of the wreckage, location, and other issues pertinent to the case. Take as many pictures as you can of the truck, its cargo bed, and tires. A mechanical expert could look at these later and potentially spot signs of bad maintenance or improper cargo loading.
5. Seek medical care
Due to the size and weight of commercial trucks, their accidents often inflict immediate and apparent injuries. You may be transported to a hospital right away. In other situations, you might receive first aid from emergency medical technicians. When that is the case, you should still go to an emergency department or urgent care clinic as soon as possible afterward. You want to get a thorough exam. You could have head trauma, soft-tissue injuries, or minor fractures that you cannot notice in the first hours after the collision.
6. Inform your insurance of the crash
Even if you suspect that you are not to blame for the accident, you still have an obligation to inform your insurer about the crash in a timely manner. Personal injury lawyers in Las Vegas recommend that you not admit fault or offer details beyond date and location in the preliminary report. As soon as possible, you should start searching for truck injury lawyers and select one to consult. Before speaking to any insurance company, legal advice is crucial for protecting your right to compensation. You can expect the truck driver’s insurer to contact you quickly as well. Do not answer any questions or sign any paperwork without guidance from an accident attorney in Las Vegas.
What to Do With Your Truck Accident Evidence
Although truck injury lawyers who represent injured people investigate accidents and organize evidence, you still have a part to play in the process. You need to start a file to gather your bills and receipts related to your accident. Keeping a journal might seem old-fashioned these days, but a daily or weekly written record about your injuries, medical treatments, and progress toward recovery will strengthen your case. If your injuries make writing or typing a challenge, record a video journal.
At the same time, track your time away from work. Gather correspondence from your employer and calculate how much income you are losing.
If you have not spoken yet with an accident attorney in Las Vegas, you can bring your evidence to your first meeting. A legal opinion about the information gathered so far will help you understand how much compensation you can pursue.
Additionally, your lawyer will investigate the case as well. A law office’s investigators will look into all parties that might be financial responsibility for your suffering.
Parties potentially responsible for trucking accidents include:
- Truck driver
- Trucking company
- Truck leasing company
- Cargo loading company
- Maintenance company
- Truck or truck part manufacturer
- State or municipal road authority
By scrutinizing an accident from every angle, Nevada personal injury attorneys may find additional sources of compensation.
Prepare a Demand Letter and Insurance Claim
A demand letter presents the evidence about your losses and explains the negligence actions that entitle you to compensation. Truck accident victims normally work with a lawyer to prepare this document that will accompany your insurance claim. Depending on what caused your crash, multiple insurers may be asked to pay your damages.
You will not speak with the insurers. Your lawyer will handle all conversations and negotiations. This system aids you because the conversations can be tricky. Insurance adjusters constantly look for ways to challenge your expenses or minimize the extent of your injuries. Personal injury lawyers in Las Vegas are trained negotiators and know how to push back against unfair tactics designed to limit your compensation.
Continue Medical Care As Needed
The cost of medical care could make you reluctant to pursue your necessary medical treatments. You are especially vulnerable to limiting your medical care when you are uncertain how to pay for it. A lawyer representing your case could help you obtain necessary care by explaining that a settlement is pending the outcome of negotiations or litigation.
Free Consultation With an Accident Attorney in Las Vegas
After a serious accident, you can expect a trucking company to put up a fight. Paying a large settlement could ruin a transit company even if it has insurance. Truck injury lawyers protect your interests by preparing thorough insurance claims and taking cases to court when necessary. At Moss Berg Injury Lawyers, we push hard for the maximum compensation that you deserve after a truck accident. Contact our office today.