VWB Blog Did you know that a car accident happens every sixty seconds in the United States of America? The facts are that even the best truck driver will get in an accident at some point or another. The best way to prevent a truck accident is to ensure that trucker safety is practiced by all truck drivers.
Truck driving safety will decrease the chances that an accident occurs, but a big part of working in the trucking industry is knowing what to do if you are part of a trucking accident. While simple things like knowing to report the crash will help, there are other things that you need to do as well.
The good news is that you’re in the perfect place to learn more about what to do if you get in a truck accident with your truck. Continue reading this article to learn more.
Report the Truck Accident
It is the requirement of the law that any and all parties involved in the car accident need to remain at the accident site. The best approach to take is to check yourself for any wounds or injuries. After you’ve done that, try to remove your truck from the roadway so that traffic can still pass.
Once your truck is off of the road you’ll want to turn your flashers on. This will help any cars driving past to see your truck and avoid an additional accident. This is vital at night when your truck will be more difficult to see for oncoming traffic. You should light any road flares that you have in your truck as well.
If someone else involved in the accident is injured then you need to call 911 as soon as possible. If everyone is okay, call the police or the highway patrol to let them know about the accident. They’ll send an officer and you’ll fill out an accident report detailing your version of events that led to the accident. The officer will then instruct you on what you’ll need to do next.
Be sure to request a copy of the accident report for your own records. This is an important piece of evidence should the accident go to court. You should also consider hiring the best truck accident lawyer if that happens.
Seek Medical Treatment
Once you’ve filled out the accident report and reported the accident, it is always a good idea to seek medical treatment. Even if you don’t think that you’re injured, getting looked at by medical professionals is a wise move. Truck accidents tend to produce adrenaline which will cover up a lot of the pain that you’d otherwise feel after an accident.
Even if you don’t get treatment at the scene of the truck accident, go and schedule a visit with your personal doctor. They’ll help you determine if you’re okay or if you need medical attention. If you do end up sustaining injuries then you won’t have a chance at compensation for them if you don’t visit a medical professional after the accident.
Identify the Other Parties
The next step to take when you’ve been in a truck accident is to identify the other parties involved in the accident. The accident might be the fault of another driver, but if you sustain damage to your body or your vehicle then the other driver’s insurance company will be the one to dole out the money for compensation.
The only way to ensure that all parties involved are held liable is by identifying everyone that was involved in the truck accident.
Exchange Information
Once you’ve identified the parties involved in the accident you’ll want to make sure to swap information. If you don’t get the information from the other parties involved, you’ll have a really difficult time tracking them down without it. This is true even if you have the driver’s name.
Get their contact information in addition to their name. This will make tracking them down much easier if you opt to seek compensation from them for the accident. Get the driver’s name, address, and phone number. You also need to get their insurance company information and their policy number.
Check for Any Witnesses
You’ll also want to check for anyone that witnessed the accident. This could be people that were at the scene of the accident as well as people that were nearby and saw what happened. A good approach to take is to get their contact information in case you need their version of events. It also can’t hurt to get a statement from them as a witness to the truck accident.
If you end up going to court then these witnesses can get called to testify on the case from the truck accident.
Document the Accident’s Details
If you own a smartphone then you should be sure to get pictures of the scene of the truck accident as well as any damage on your vehicle. You can use these pictures as evidence if you end up going to court over compensation. This is one of the best sources of evidence possible and will help lawyers and investigators make sense of what happened.
You should also take pictures of any injuries you’ve sustained from the accident. It is never a bad idea to chronicle your recovery after the accident with pictures. This shows the severity of the injuries as well as the timeline of recovery.
Think Before You Speak
After the accident happens you should expect to hear from an insurance adjuster. Be extra careful about what you say when you speak with them. They’ll use anything that you say against you if it benefits them and their company. Speak to the best truck accident attorney prior to speaking with an adjuster.
Now You Know What to Do for a Truck Accident
No one plans on getting into a truck accident, but it is important that you’re prepared in the event that you do. While trucker safety goes a long way towards preventing accidents, you should know to report the accident to the authorities and to get the contact information of the other drivers. You should also seek medical help for any injuries and document everything.
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