What to Do If You Are Involved in a Trucking Accident

Large trucks make up 4% of the 268 million vehicles on the road today but cause 1 in 10 highway deaths.

A truck crash is a frightening experience, whether it’s a highway accident or occurs on a small rural road. Knowing what to do ahead of time helps you get through this traumatic experience.

Read our guide to learn what information you’ll need to gather and how to find the medical and legal help you need.

What Should I Do After a Trucking Highway Accident?

Truck driver accidents recently reached a 29-year high, making it more important than ever to be prepared.

Knowing what to do after an accident is an important step in keeping yourself safe. Be sure to gather any information you may need later, seek medical care, and hire the best possible legal team to take the case to court.

Get the Necessary Information

The first step to take after a truck crash is to collect information. Remain calm, stay where you are, and put on your hazard lights to warn other drivers.

Some of the details you’ll need to gather after a highway accident involving a truck include:

• The make and model of the truck
• The license plate number and insurance information of the driver
• The names and contact information of any witnesses
• Location of the accident
• Related conditions (time of day, weather, etc.)

Gathering these details is critical because they’ll be the heart of any insurance and/or legal claims you make later.

Seek Medical Care

Large truck crashes cause a wide range of injuries such as broken bones and whiplash. It’s also important to consider the psychological side of the event, as it can be traumatic for everyone involved.

As soon as you’ve gathered all the information you need, seek medical care. Doctors and physical therapists will heal your physical wounds, and mental health professionals will help you cope with the psychological fallout.

Get Legal Help

Going to court after a trucking accident is not an extreme reaction. These severe events leave long-lasting physical and psychological wounds, and you may have to take legal action to get justice.

There are several different types of cases you may want to file. Examples include wrongful death suits, insurance claims, and suits to cover pain and suffering.

Determining who’s at fault in truck driver accidents can be difficult, but both sides need a qualified legal team. The driver, victims, and witnesses must all be able to give their side of the story.

Increased demand and instances of drowsy driving during the COVID-19 epidemic makes life more difficult than ever for truck drivers. Learn more about how this impacts the number of truck accidents here.

Where Can I Learn More About Trucking Accidents?

Knowing what to do after a highway accident involving a truck is difficult because emotions take over and cloud our judgment. As long as you’re prepared to take the right steps ahead of time, you can avoid serious mistakes.

The first step to take after any vehicle crash is to get the necessary information from the driver and any nearby witnesses. The next step is to seek the help of the best possible medical and legal teams.

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