What To Do After a Truck Accident

Truck accidents often escalate into something far more serious than typical car accidents. Larger vehicles mean more severe injuries and significant legal and financial challenges. Your recovery and potential compensation depend on how you respond in the moments and days after the crash.

My firm knows the toll a truck accident can take. With nearly 38 years of experience helping individuals who have suffered due to such accidents, I also know how crucial it is to take the right steps. Here’s what you should do after a truck accident to protect your health, preserve important evidence, and make sure your legal rights are upheld.

Immediate Steps After a Truck Accident

After any accident, especially one involving a large truck, your first priority should always be safety. Here’s what to do in the moments immediately following a truck accident:

• Seek medical attention: Some injuries, like whiplash, may not be immediately apparent, and internal injuries may not show symptoms right away. Even if you feel fine, it’s important to get checked out by a medical professional to make sure that there are no hidden injuries that could affect your long-term health.

• Call emergency services: Dial 911 immediately after the truck accident. Law enforcement officers need to document the crash, and emergency responders should assess anyone involved in the accident. A police report will be invaluable when filing an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit.

• Document the accident scene: If you’re able to do so safely, take photos of the scene, the vehicles involved, and any visible damages. Capture pictures of the truck’s license plate, the accident's surroundings, skid marks on the road, or any traffic signals that might have been malfunctioning. 

These immediate steps are critical for your safety, for gathering important evidence, and for setting the stage for a successful insurance claim or personal injury case. By focusing on these actions, you can make sure that you’re not only protecting your health but also building a strong foundation for your legal case.

How Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help After a Truck Accident?

A personal injury lawyer experienced in truck accidents is crucial for fighting for your rights and securing compensation for your injuries. Trucking companies and their insurance providers often have significant resources to fight claims, and they may try to minimize your payout or avoid liability altogether. A skilled lawyer can help you by:

• Gathering evidence: A truck accident case typically involves a lot of technical details, such as truck maintenance records, driver logs, and possibly black box data from the truck itself. Your lawyer can help gather this evidence to determine the root cause of the accident and who is truly responsible.

• Dealing with insurance companies: Insurance adjusters might try to minimize your settlement by offering a low initial offer or asking you to sign away your rights before you fully understand the extent of your injuries. It’s important to have a lawyer review any offers before you accept them.

• Handling legal paperwork: Truck accident cases often require dealing with intricate legal documents and regulations. A personal injury lawyer will handle all the paperwork, making sure everything is filed on time and correctly so you can focus on your recovery.

By having a personal injury lawyer manage your dealings with insurance companies, you can be confident that you’re not being taken advantage of.

Common Injuries in Truck Accidents

Truck accidents can result in a wide range of serious injuries, some of which might not be immediately apparent. Here are some of the most common injuries suffered in truck accidents:

• Whiplash: A common injury that occurs when the neck is jerked forward and backward quickly. This can lead to long-term pain and mobility issues.

• Back and spinal injuries: The sheer force of a truck accident can cause herniated discs or spinal cord damage, which can result in permanent paralysis or chronic pain.

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI): The impact from a truck accident can cause severe head trauma, leading to TBIs, which may cause cognitive impairment, memory loss, and permanent disability.

• Fractures and broken bones: The force of the impact can cause broken bones in various parts of the body, often requiring surgery and lengthy recovery periods.

• Internal injuries: The blunt force trauma from a truck accident can lead to internal bleeding, organ damage, or other life-threatening injuries.

These injuries can have lasting effects on your life, often requiring long-term medical care and rehabilitation. Understanding the types of injuries that may result from a truck accident is crucial to getting the appropriate medical treatment and compensation. 

Filing a Truck Accident Claim

After making sure your safety and obtaining medical attention, the next critical step is to file a truck accident claim. Working with a lawyer will help you understand how to proceed.

Your claim will likely be based on either the driver’s or the trucking company’s negligence. Negligence in truck accidents can involve:

• Driver fatigue: Many truck drivers push the limits of their work hours, leading to fatigue, which can result in dangerous accidents.

• Reckless driving: Speeding, driving under the influence, or ignoring traffic laws can all be contributing factors to an accident.

• Improper maintenance: If a trucking company fails to properly maintain its vehicles, it could be liable for the accident.

• Inadequate training: If a truck driver hasn’t been properly trained, they may make critical mistakes while on the road.

Time is crucial when it comes to filing your claim. There are statutes of limitations in place for personal injury cases, which means you only have a certain period to take legal action. A personal injury attorney will make sure that your case is filed within the required timeframe.

Long-Term Considerations After a Truck Accident

Recovering from a truck accident may take time. It’s important to prepare for both your physical and financial recovery in the months or even years ahead.

The costs associated with truck accidents are often significant, including:

• Medical bills: Ongoing treatments, hospital stays, surgeries, and rehabilitation.

• Lost wages: If your injuries prevent you from working, you may be entitled to compensation for your lost income.

• Pain and suffering: This includes compensation for emotional distress, anxiety, and the physical pain you endure due to the accident.

It’s not just the physical injuries you’ll need to recover from. The emotional and mental toll of a truck accident can also be profound. Physical therapy and rehabilitation may be required to help you regain mobility or manage long-term physical impairments. It's essential to stay on top of your treatments and follow medical advice to improve your chances of a full recovery.

Planning for both your immediate and long-term recovery can make a difference in your quality of life after an accident. By addressing both physical and emotional health and making sure that your finances are managed, you can work toward healing without the added stress of financial uncertainty.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney Today

If you’ve been involved in a truck accident, don’t hesitate to request a consultation. Contact Robert Louis Armstrong Personal Injury Attorney today for services across Wilmington, North Carolina, and throughout all of North Carolina, including New Hanover County, Pender County, Brunswick County, and Onslow County.