
Being involved in commercial truck accidents can be highly traumatic. There is a very high possibility you will end up facing loss of income, expensive medical bills, huge vehicle damage, and pain and suffering. If you were harmed in a truck accident, you have to file a claim.
According to truck accident lawyer Regan Zambri Long, filing a claim is something you can do alone but this is not at all recommended because the process can be quite complex. Also, you need to take care of your injuries, which could make things much more complicated. However, the main steps to take are presented below.
Seek Medical Care
This needs to be a priority. You have to call 911 and you need to request that emergency medical responders come to the scene. When you are not visibly injured, at least see a doctor and do it as soon as you can. This is because several serious injuries that are common in truck accidents do not show symptoms moments after the crash.
Report The Accident
If you contacted 911, you already reported the accident but besides this, you need to get the report of the officer on sight. Your attorney can do that for you when you cannot get it yourself.
Gather Relevant Information
Whenever possible, you should take photographs of the scene of the truck accidents. Make sure to photograph the truck, the damage on your vehicle, and all visible injuries. Then, get the phone number, address, and names of those involved. Do the same for potential witnesses and draw a sketch to show vehicle positions before and after the accident.
Get In Touch With The Insurance Company
Your insurance company needs to be aware that an accident happened since there are deadlines that do apply. Always truthfully answer questions but make sure not to make any accusation. Also, do not accept the blame and do not record statements without the presence of an attorney.
Dealing With Settlement Offers
An insurance adjuster will contact you after the truck accident. They will ask several questions and might even offer a settlement deal that will look pretty good. Make sure you never sign anything since this might lead to not being allowed to pursue a much higher claim.
Final Thoughts
As you can easily notice, the steps you have to take when you file a truck accident claim are pretty straightforward. However, you might end up faced with several complications during every single one of them. Due to this, the best thing you can do is to contact a truck accident attorney.
The best thing about this is that the best attorneys out there will offer a free consultation. If you agree to hire one, you also get to pay based on a contingency agreement, which practically means the attorney will only get paid when the claim is successful. The legal advice you can receive from the lawyer should always be respected, especially when you hire them. This will drastically increase the possibility of getting the maximum possible compensation.