Being in a truck accident is a devastating experience that leaves you unsure of what to do next. Learn about the steps to take from truck accident lawyers.
If you suffered injuries in a Virginia truck accident, what you do at the crash scene is crucial to your safety and well-being at and when you leave the scene. Moreso, there is every likelihood that you will get an attorney involved to seek compensation if you were not at fault. Experienced Virginia truck accident lawyers will advise you on the best action to take.
If you, unfortunately, get injured in a truck accident, there are several concerns that you should address—first, your health. Ensure you get the best emergency treatment to prevent your injury from getting worse. This article discusses all you need to know about the proper steps to take after a crash.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
According to truck accident statistics, 2,356 large truck crashes occurred in Virginia in 2020. These crashes led to 16 deaths and 336 injuries of truck occupants. There are many reasons for trucking accidents in Virginia. They include:
- Drunk driving
- Driver fatigue
- Defective trucks
- Human error
If you are a commercial truck driver attached to a trucking company, state and federal laws make you entitled to sufficient rest hours on the job. Contact a skilled truck accident lawyer for legal advice and information if you believe that your trucking company demands more drive hours than it should.
What Should You Do After a Truck Accident in Virginia?
As truck accidents vary in severity, so do the injuries. If you were severely injured in a truck accident, staying still is best. Accident victims with severe injuries could worsen their conditions with any significant movement they make. But if you haven’t sustained any severe injuries, you need to make the right decisions right away.
Here’s what you should do after a truck accident.
- Call the Police
- Receive Medical Treatment
- Identify Other Accident Victims
- Take the Contact Information of Witnesses
- Document the Accident Scene
- Be Mindful of What You Say
- Contact a Virginia Truck Accident lawyer
Call the Police
When you dial 911, you will connect with an emergency dispatcher. The dispatcher will listen to you and respond appropriately. This response could include calls to the local police and/or an emergency medical team.
When the police arrive, they will observe the crash scene and make necessary inquiries. The police officer may speak to you in addition to other witnesses about the accident.
This information will help the police officer write down an accident report that captures the facts and circumstances of the accident. The official police report will play a crucial role in facilitating your future bid for maximum compensation.
Receive Medical Treatment
An emergency medical team will arrive after the 911 call to attend to the injured people. Trucking accidents may lead to permanent injury. Examples include broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, permanent disability/deformity,
It is in your best interest to accept the services of the emergency medical team. Also, some accident injuries may not manifest immediately. So, even if you feel well and good to go, you have nothing to lose by subjecting yourself to medical examination and attention. In addition, the medical team can help discover hidden injuries.
Furthermore, receiving medical attention will do a lot of good in advancing your injury claim. Many times, the fault party’s insurance company banks on the refusal of the injured party to receive treatment. The insurer could argue that you refused medical attention because you sustained no injuries.
Take the Contact Information of Witnesses
Taking the contact information of the accident witnesses is a wise action to take after a truck accident. Anyone close enough to the accident scene to see it is a witness. These people include pedestrian bystanders and other drivers.
The testimony of a witness is weighty in the eyes of the law. Therefore, taking the contact information of eyewitnesses will keep them within easy reach until when you need their testimony. So, get their names, phone numbers, and email addresses.
Document the Accident Scene
Information is key to getting fair compensation after a truck accident. An accident scene is where you can get helpful information that will strengthen a truck accident claim.
All you need is a smartphone. Take as many accident photos, videos, or audio recordings as possible. This information will enhance your truck accident claims and your push for proper compensation.
Choose Your Words Carefully
Be careful with words when communicating with anyone on the scene, such as the other injury victims or the fault party. Any seasoned personal injury attorney will advise you to be careful with words.
The reason is that the wrong words could hurt your bid for financial settlement. You might just be speaking to responsible parties with terms that could jeopardize your chances of receiving fair compensation.
For example, you shouldn’t declare that you had no injuries, even if that is what you believe. Injuries may manifest later on, and you won’t be able to take back your words. Also, it would help if you never admitted fault to anyone at the accident scene.
Contact a Virginia Truck Accident Lawyer
Ensure that you contact a Virginia personal injury law firm to secure the services of truck accident lawyers. Truck accident lawyers will do a far better job navigating the legal paths to financial compensation than you would.
While you are free to represent yourself, truck accident lawyers will save you a lot of stress. In addition, an experienced truck accident attorney will increase your chance of success.
How Will My Personal Injury Lawyer Get Paid?
Typically, Virginia law firms operate a contingency fee arrangement. As a result, your law firm of choice will likely not demand any initial fees to take up your case. When victims of truck accidents agree to operate on a contingency fee basis, they give their lawyer a percentage of the settlement amount. The primary implication of this arrangement is that truck accident victims get to pay zero lawyer fees if their injury claims do not succeed.
What Truck Accident Lawyers Can Do for You
A skilled attorney will guide you while navigating through the legal processes around your injury claim. After hearing your side of the story, your Virginia truck accident lawyer will tell you what the Virginia laws say about your case. Afterward, the attorney proceeds to get the details of the accident.
Next, your lawyer may set up an accident investigation team that will, amongst other duties, meet with eyewitnesses. Finally, if necessary, your lawyer may seek the testimony of expert witnesses.
One of the best ways to begin is by requesting the official police report. Your attorney will also need your medical records. The trucking accident lawyer will ask you for relevant documents like the medical bills and proof of medical expenses.
Then, your lawyer will prepare to file an injury claim with the insurance carriers of the trucking company. Suppose your loved one lost their life in a truck accident. Your lawyer will file a wrongful death claim.
After negotiation, if your attorney doesn’t reach an agreement with the insurance company of the negligent party, the courts will be the next resort. Finally, your lawyer will file a truck accident lawsuit or a wrongful death lawsuit for damages.
These damages will include several of a wide range of both economic (such as current and future medical expenses, lost wages, etc.) and/or non-economic damages (loss of consortium, emotional distress, etc.).
Reach Out to the Experienced Truck Accident Lawyers at Virginia Injury Law
Dealing with truck accident injuries can leave you in financial difficulty. So, you need to hold the liable party accountable for your wounds and get a fair settlement. At Virginia Injury Law, we will commence the personal injury claim process.
Our team is armed with extensive legal experience handling all types of truck accident claims. Our experienced truck accident lawyers will match the skill and intensity of aggressive insurance companies. We will be at the front, easing your worries and stress, fighting for you until you get compensated. So contact our law office today for a free case review.
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