It’s not uncommon for people to get injured in a truck accident. You may be wondering what you need to do and whether or not you should hire a lawyer after an injury. Here are some of the most important steps to take if you were injured in a truck accident.
Injured in a Truck Accident
One of the primary things you need to do after being injured in a truck accident is to seek medical attention. If you’re in pain, don’t wait. Go see a doctor immediately. Many injuries may not seem serious at first but can worsen if left untreated.
Immediately Seek Medical Attention if You Are Injured
A seasoned Morristown truck accident lawyer suggests that if you can, document everything that happened leading up to and during the accident and keep copies of the documentation once you’ve left the doctor. Keep in mind that the more information you have, the better off your case is going to be in court or during settlement negotiations so it’s important to try and get as much as possible while still being safe.
Contact Law Enforcement to File a Police Report
Another thing that you need to do right away is to file a police report and get witness statements. Even if you aren’t completely sure what happened leading up to the accident, make an educated guess about how it occurred and write that down in your statement. Also be sure to note where you were hit on your vehicle, whether or not this can be seen, as well as the direction the truck was traveling. Having as much information as possible will be helpful to your Macon Truck Accident Lawyer when they are fighting for you in court.
It’s important to get the names of witnesses and any other information that could help your case down the road, but don’t jeopardize your safety by doing this immediately after an accident. Wait until you know it is safe before getting out of the vehicle or anything else like that. If there was a witness who didn’t believe you were actually in an accident, you can give them your lawyer’s card so they know it is okay to contact you.
Do Not Admit Guilt or Sign Anything
Make sure not to admit guilt about the accident and do not sign any paperwork that may be presented to you by anyone else involved in the case without first consulting a truck accident lawyer. You can also call the police station and ask if you need to come in at all or not, but keep in mind that they may just tell you it is up to your discretion and give you a business card for an attorney. You should know better than anyone else when the time comes.
- If asked about whether or not liability insurance is required, give the standard reply
If someone were to ask you about truck accident liability insurance laws, it is best to just give them the standard reply. You don’t want to incriminate yourself in any way and this is a question that your lawyer can answer much better than you can. As much as possible, you should just defer to them in these types of situations. The best thing you can do if you were injured due to a truck accident is work with your lawyer and follow their directions as much as possible until this case has been settled one way or the other. This will be for everyone’s benefit, including yours.
Report the Accident to Your Insurance Provider
Make sure that you also report the incident to your insurance provider. They will probably ask for a copy of the police report and/or any other information that you have gathered about this accident, so be prepared to give it all over when they request it.
Once again though, make sure not to sign anything or admit guilt before consulting with an attorney in person first if possible. Also, keep a detailed list of all damages and expenses incurred from the accident because you will need this when you file a claim. Just keep in mind that you also have to protect yourself from fraud by not giving out any personal information over the phone, such as social security numbers or bank account numbers, before speaking with your lawyer.
All of these steps are important to take after an accident, but they can be overwhelming. If you have been involved in a trucking accident caused by another negligent party, contact seasoned legal practitioners today.