Truck accidents are expensive, with some estimates putting the average cost of a wreck at more than 1 million dollars. Unsurprisingly, trucking companies are not eager to pay this amount to injured victims, so they pull out all the stops when defending themselves. After a catastrophic truck accident, most companies have an investigative team at the scene, busily collecting evidence- often within one or two hours after the accident.
Injured victims must protect themselves after an Illinois truck accident. Joliet, IL, truck accident lawyer Michael J. Lichner is available for a free consultation to help you understand what to do after a truck accident and to protect your rights.
What to Do After a Truck Accident
Please follow these steps to protect your legal rights and improve your ability to recover.
- Seek safety. If you can move, you should get off the road because other traffic might not stop, and you don’t want to get hit by a vehicle coming up from behind.
- Check for injuries. Ask anyone involved in the accident if they need an ambulance, and call emergency services if they do. You should make everyone’s health a priority. If you are so hurt you cannot move, then ask someone to call an ambulance for you.
- Report the collision to the police. The nearest police station should send out an officer to create an accident report and talk to witnesses. This report is a critical part of truck accident cases. Do not skip this step or expect the trucker to call the police.
- Swap personal details and insurance information with the trucker. You should get the trucker’s name, license, employer information, and insurance details. Be sure to share the same with the trucker. If another vehicle was damaged in the crash, get the same information from the driver of that vehicle.
- Avoid apologizing for the accident or talking about what happened. As you wait for the officer to show up, do not apologize to anyone or discuss what happened. You can wait quietly for the police to arrive at the scene or begin documenting the accident by completing the following steps.
- Photograph the accident scene. Pictures are critical in truck accident cases. Other than you and the other driver or witnesses, no one else involved in the case will have seen the accident first-hand. Not the insurance companies, not a judge, and not a jury (if your case gets to trial). Pictures help recreate the accident scene. Use your phone and take photos of all vehicles from many different angles. Try to get a few pictures of the truck and your car before they are hauled to the side of the road.
- Speak with any witnesses about what they saw. A witness can provide important information about the accident. They might testify they saw a truck crash into your vehicle at top speeds without slowing down, or they can explain how a truck ran a red light. Ask witnesses for their names and method of contact, such as a phone number. Also, ask if they have a dashcam installed in their car, which might have recorded the accident.
- Obtain medical care when finished at the scene. Someone struggling with life-threatening injuries was hopefully taken by ambulance to the emergency room. Otherwise, you can go when you finish talking to the police and photographing everything. Remember to follow your doctor’s treatment plan, because you want to show you are fully dedicated to healing.
Future Steps in an Illinois Truck Accident Claim
Receiving treatment is important for all accident victims. But there are also other steps to take in the coming weeks and months to protect your legal case:
- Report the accident to your insurance company. They can open a claim on your behalf. You should only tell them basic details: time, date, and location. Call as soon as you can.
- Do not give a recorded statement to any insurance or trucking company. They might call in the coming days and ask for a statement. You should decline to make any statements to either the trucking company or the other side’s insurance company until you hire a lawyer. Insurers are probably searching for evidence to use to show you are to blame for the accident, which would reduce your compensation (at best) or possibly prevent you from suing (at worst).
- Continue with treatment. If you aren’t improving, then it might be time to seek a second opinion. Truck accidents cause significant injuries, and some people need years to recover. Remember to document your treatment every step of the way by collecting medical bills and receipts.
- Do not accept any settlement offers right away. Insurers might reach out with an offer that looks generous at first blush. The odds are that you can get much more, but you’ll benefit from hiring a Will County truck accident lawyer to handle the negotiations on your behalf. We can review your injuries and economic losses to determine a fair settlement.
- Consult an experienced truck accident lawyer. The sooner you hire an attorney, the better. You want a lawyer who can find evidence that will help you recover a fair settlement and compensation for all of your injuries.
These steps strengthen our client’s legal claims in Illinois truck accident cases. You will avoid making simple mistakes while hiring a legal advocate to do the heavy lifting and find useful evidence.
Contact Michael J. Lichner Today for a Free Consultation
Truck accidents upend lives, and injured victims benefit from the personalized assistance that only a lawyer can provide. Reach out to Michael J. Lichner to schedule your consultation today.
We can provide an analysis of your legal rights in greater detail when reviewing the accident. We can also touch on important topics like possible compensation and what medical evidence you need to bolster your case. After being hired, we can continue to gather relevant evidence to establish fault. The claims process takes time, and you benefit by giving your lawyer as much runway as possible to complete these tasks.
Our consultations are free, so there is no reason to be afraid of calling. Contact us by phone or email to schedule your meeting and discuss what to do after a truck accident.