If you or a loved one has been injured in a crash involving an 18 wheeler, you need to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney right away. These large trucks are subject to a plethora of regulations at the state and federal level that can have a significant impact on your case.
Seek Medical Attention
If you’re involved in an 18 wheeler accident, it is vital to seek medical attention. While a traumatic brain injury or internal bleeding may not be visible immediately after the crash, seeking medical attention as soon as possible can help you avoid severe complications that might require expensive treatment.
A delay in seeking medical care can also negatively impact your chances of obtaining fair compensation for your injuries. Insurance companies often require that you receive an evaluation within a certain amount of time in order to claim compensation.
Moreover, getting a full examination will allow your doctor to connect your injuries to the truck accident and not some other cause. This is a crucial piece of evidence that could make the difference between a successful claim and a denial with the help of an 18 wheeler accident lawyer.
Don’t Give a Statement to the Insurance Company
Commercial trucks are much larger than a car or other smaller vehicle, which means they can cause more damage in an accident. This also means that injuries can be more severe.
Because of this, it is important to get every penny you are entitled to after a collision with a commercial truck. Working with a New York City 18 wheeler accident lawyer can help you make this happen.
Insurance adjusters often try to ask you questions that are meant to mislead or manipulate you into providing them with statements that are untrue and will hurt your case.
It is important to tell them you don’t want to give a recorded statement. This will not only keep your case from being ruined by the other party’s insurance company but will ensure that the statements you provide in the future are more accurate.
Document the Scene
If you are a victim of an 18 wheeler accident, your lawyer will want to start documenting the scene immediately. This will help them collect and preserve critical evidence.
It is also important to take photographs of the scene from multiple angles so no detail is missed. The focus should be on the vehicles in their final resting positions, any skid marks or damage to road signs, and debris on the roadway which may indicate where the trucks were headed before they crashed.
This documentation will help your trucking accident lawyer show the insurance company that you are a legitimate victim and that their actions were not justified. It will also help them fight against the defense who will hire an accident reconstruction expert to attempt to blame you and other people instead of the driver and trucking company.
Hire an Attorney
If you have been injured or a loved one has been killed in an 18 wheeler accident, it is important to hire an attorney. This will ensure that you receive the full compensation you deserve.
An attorney will investigate your case and collect all evidence that can prove fault. They will also work to get all parties responsible for the accident to pay damages.
A trucking accident lawyer knows the ins and outs of federal and state laws that apply to trucks. These laws include driver qualifications, hours of service, safety regulations, and more.
An attorney who understands the ins and outs of trucking laws can make it easier to identify all negligent parties in your claim, and demand the right amount of compensation. These damages may cover your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, vehicle repair or replacement, and other costs.