Were you injured in a semi truck accident? Every year, thousands of individuals are injured from unsafe semi truck accidents. They are left with costly medical expenses and the inability to work anymore. They are forced to go through lengthy claims processes. Even if the case makes it to trial, they are lucky if they walk away with a large enough settlement that covers existing medical problems. If you were injured in a trucking accident, make sure you are protecting your rights and that you are getting the compensation that you deserve.
Consult with a semi truck accident attorney
The first step in the process should be consulting with a semi truck accident attorney. A semi truck accident attorney is familiar with injuries caused by trucking accidents. This usually means that the personal injury attorney on the case has seen similar accidents and knows the proper filing process. This also often means that they have a greater chance at winning the claims case. Accidents in the trucking industry are all too common, so it is important to choose a personal injury lawyer that has worked with them before.
Submit a police report with the police station
It is likely that the police were already involved in the accident. If ambulances were called, the police probably accompanied the scene. However, this does not mean that they got the correct report. If you were rushed to an emergency room, for example, you might have only been able to give a rushed statement. The police are then forced to rely on local witness reports and possibly the truck driver. Always check the police report, before it makes it to the personal injury case in court. Your truck accident lawyer will usually pull a copy of the police report, but make sure you check that the statements listed are accurate.
Report any suspicion of foul play
If you estimate that foul play was a cause of the accident, it is important to speak up. Firstly, you should notify the police on the scene. If drugs or alcohol are involved and you wait to say something, it can be too late to test. You might not want to speak up for fear of being wrong, but doing so could prevent the same injury from happening to someone else later. Many semi truck accidents are caused by fatigue, aggressive driving, or impaired driving. The U.S. Department of Transportation found that 23% of semi truck accidents are caused by the driver traveling too fast for the road conditions. Any suspicion of illegal activity, even over the limit speed driving, should be reported.
Get any proof, if possible
When you are faced with a potential accident, it is very difficult, and sometimes unsafe, to get proof. However, if you can get any proof of illegal activity immediately following the accident, this could help your legal case. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, aggressive driving plays a role in about 66% of fatal traffic accidents. Although it might be unsafe to pull out your video camera to capture aggressive driving, you can ask that other drivers act as a witness. Usually, aggressive driving is noticed by multiple drivers on the road.
Semi truck accidents often result in severe damages that require a complex court case. In fact, approximately 98% of all semi truck accidents result in at least one fatality. It is important to work with an experienced semi truck accident attorney. It is also important to report any suspicion of foul play and to gather any proof. You want to ensure that you receive just compensation, while also protecting others on the road from future incidents. Illegal and impaired driving paired with the operation of a semi truck often results in a serious consequence.
