What Steps Should I Take After a Truck Accident?
August 31, 2023
When traveling on a busy highway, the last thing you expect to happen is to be involved in a devastating accident with an 80,000-pound commercial truck. However, truck accidents continue to occur on roads and highways nationwide. Due to the massive size and weight of the average truck, it should come as no surprise that these accidents can cause catastrophic injuries and fatalities. Unfortunately, the occupants of the passenger vehicle involved in the accident usually suffer the most severe injuries if they are fortunate enough to survive the crash.
Truck accidents differ from ordinary car accidents because the resulting injuries and property damage are much more severe. In addition, several parties may be liable for the accident, including the truck driver, the trucking company, the maintenance company, and the company responsible for loading the cargo.
There are several steps you should take after a truck accident:
- Call 911: If you can, call 911 and report the accident. Notify dispatch of injuries so they can send an ambulance to the scene. The police officer who arrives at the scene will fill out a police report, which will include important information about the accident. Ensure you obtain a copy of the police report.
- Seek immediate medical attention: Truck accident injuries are often severe and life-threatening. However, even if your injuries do not seem serious, you may have a potentially life-threatening injury that does not have immediate or obvious symptoms. If you delay treatment, your injury can become life-threatening. In addition, the insurance company may argue that your injury must not be severe if you did not seek medical attention following the accident. This can hurt the outcome of your personal injury claim.
- Collect evidence: Take pictures of your injuries, the damage to your vehicle, skid marks on the road, the position of the truck, and any other physical evidence to help your case. If there were witnesses who saw the accident happen, ask if they would be willing to provide a statement and get their contact information.
- Avoid social media: Do not post anything about the accident on your social media platforms. Even the most seemingly innocuous comment or picture can be taken out of context.
- Contact a truck accident attorney: Truck accidents can be much more complicated than a car accident. An experienced attorney can help you navigate the complex insurance and legal process.
Our Skilled Baltimore Truck Accident Attorneys at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Can Help
If you were seriously injured in a truck accident, contact our Baltimore truck accident attorneys at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton. To schedule a free consultation, call 800-547-4LAW (4529) or complete our online form.
We have offices in Baltimore, Glen Burnie, Lanham, and Owings Mills, allowing us to represent clients in Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Prince George’s County, Queen Anne’s County, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.