Being in an accident is a terrifying thing. It could be all the more frightening if your collision involved a massive vehicle like a transport or semi-truck. It can be hard to know what needs to be done first because so much is going on at the same time and you’re a little rattled, to say the least. The following will explore the things you can do immediately following an accident and in the days or weeks afterward to make sure that all your bases are covered, and everyone involved is safe and cared for.
Call The Authorities
The moment after you’ve been in an accident, you should call 911 and make sure that medical attention is on its way, not just for yourself but for anyone else involved. Even if you feel like you’re fine, you need to get checked out by a doctor. Psychological and physiological coping mechanisms like shock can make it hard to understand your injuries or any damage done properly. Beyond this, you will want a medical record of the accident in case you end up needing compensation or legal proceedings. Make sure to share any and all symptoms with a medical professional because specific injuries (especially those having to do with the brain or spinal cord) can have counter-intuitive signs.
Before we continue, it is essential to note that all of the below steps should only be followed after you’ve secured medical attention. Everything else can wait. Your health and safety is the number one priority.
Exchange Contact Information With The Other Driver
If possible, exchange contact information with the other driver. Take a photo of each other’s license and write down phone numbers as well as insurance policy numbers. You will likely need this information. Take a photo of their license plate (and let them take a photo of yours). If the truck is a workplace vehicle (let’s say, delivering something for a company), you’ll also want to get the company’s information. It is not uncommon to have feelings of anger towards someone you’ve been in an accident with. Hold back from expressing these feelings. What’s most important is that everyone gets what they need at the moment.
Take Photos And Videos Of The Scene
Your insurance provider, their insurance provider, or either of your attorneys might want this information at a later date. Make sure to take both wide shots of the entire scene and close up photos of the damage done to each vehicle and anything surrounding the accident, like stop signs. If there were witnesses, collect their information as well. Police on the scene might do this for you.
Stay Off Social Media
Nowadays, social media is second nature to us. Especially if we’ve just been through an emotional ordeal, we can be tempted to post about our experiences. Refrain from doing this. If the accident ends up in court, people can use your social media activity against you. You might be surprised how posts can be spun in a legal sense. This doesn’t just mean avoid posting about the accident. This means avoid posting all together unless otherwise advised by a legal professional.
Seek Out Legal Advice
Many law firms offer free consultations where you can sit down and speak with an attorney one on one about your situation and the options available to you. Experts at HerrmanAndHerrman.com recommend that you do this before you file an insurance claim. This is because the insurance system is designed to pay out as little as possible. An attorney can help you put your best foot forward in the process and make sure that you are getting what you actually need based on the damages done in the accident. Beyond this, it is not impossible that the other driver is seeking out the advice of a lawyer as well. You’ll want to be prepared in the event that the accident goes to court.
When selecting a legal professional, you want to find someone specializing in the specific type of law you’re dealing with. A divorce lawyer isn’t going to be able to help you with your insurance claim. Many people are surprised when they find out that lawyers hire other lawyers when they are involved in a legal proceeding. You also want to find someone that practices law in the area where the accident happened. This is because laws vary from state to state, and even in situations where the laws are the same, the precedents set in the past and the interpretation of the law is different between states.
By following the above steps, you can be sure that you’re doing everything you can to recover as fully as possible from an accident with a transport or semi-truck. Remember, the health of everyone involved comes first.