What Steps Should I Take Following a Truck Accident?

After a truck accident, you need to be especially careful in protecting your rights. Truck accidents can cause devastating damage to both people and property, and trucks are often owned by trucking companies that have the money and legal resources to tie up claims for quite some time. One of the first things you should do is contact an experienced Cumming, GA truck accident attorney to make sure you’re protected.

What Steps Should I Take Following a Truck Accident?

1. Call for Help

As with any accident, the first step should always be to call for help. If someone is badly injured, call 911 immediately. Otherwise, call the police and ask them to send someone to the scene. The police report will be valuable evidence that your lawyer can use. It should include all the information the police gather about what happened, their own estimation of who is at fault, and a record of any citations they may have issued at the scene. 

This last is particularly important, as, no matter who seems to have initially caused the accident, if the truck and driver were in violation of trucking regulations, this could affect liability. For example, there are strict federal regulations about rest breaks for truck drivers. If a trucker was violating these regulations, this could put the truck driver or the trucking company at least partially to blame.

2. Exchange Information

Assuming that you are not hurt so badly that you have to go to the hospital immediately, you should exchange information just as you would after any car accident. Make sure you exchange information with all parties involved. Trucking accidents often become bigger than ordinary accidents because of the size of the trucks, so it’s possible there will be other private vehicles involved. 

Unlike in a normal car accident, however, you also want to get extra details about the truck driver. Make sure you get all the information about the truck itself, the trucking company that owns it, and the driver’s license information. Most larger trucks require special licenses to drive, and your lawyer will want to verify that the driver had the required license.

3. Get Medical Help

Even if you feel fine, be sure to get seen by a doctor as soon as possible after the accident. You need to make sure you don’t have injuries with symptoms being masked by adrenaline, and you need to be able to show a clear connection between the accident and any injuries. The records from your prompt medical care will go a long way to showing that.

4. Contact a Truck Accident Attorney in Cumming, GA

Contact a truck accident attorney as soon as you can. These accidents can be confusing because of the size of the truck and the number of entities involved. There could be multiple people trying to bring a claim against the trucking company, and you need someone on your side so your claim doesn’t fall through the cracks. You also need someone with the experience and negotiating skills to go up against the trucking company’s insurance company.

For help after a truck accident, reach out to us now at Spaulding Injury Law. We serve clients in Cumming, Alpharetta, Lawrenceville, and throughout the greater Atlanta region.

Tags: Legal Insights, truck accidents
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