7 Actions to Take to Protect Your Legal Rights After a Truck Accident

If you have been injured in a truck accident, taking these seven actions immediately after your accident will help your attorney better understand and present your case so you receive full compensation for your injuries and hold the trucking company and negligent driver accountable for the damages you have suffered.

1. Contact the police, file a report, and get a copy.  Do not be persuaded to just exchange information. If you have been injured in a truck accident, immediately report the accident to the police, ask them to come to you, and file a police report. Be sure to get a copy for your records. If you do not receive a copy immediately, the attorneys of NTAA will get one for you.
2. Take photographs. Photographs of the accident are evidence. If you are able, take photographs of your vehicle before any repairs are done on it or before it is destroyed. Also, take photos of the truck and as much of the accident scene as possible, including any debris. You should also take pictures of your injuries, and the injuries of others in your vehicle, if possible. Any photographic evidence you can obtain will help your attorneys in understanding and defending your claim.
3. Report your truck accident to your insurance company. You need to report the accident to your insurance company. However, when you do, do not provide any information other than what is in the accident report. If the insurance company representative tries to ask you questions about the accident (and he or she will), tell them you will instruct your attorney to contact them, but you will not be answering any questions as this time. Insurance representatives are trained to get you to tell them information they may be able to use against you later to deny your claim. Remember, no matter what they tell you, they are not on your side and do not have your best interests at heart.
4. Do not talk to other insurance companies or sign anything. You may be contacted by other insurance companies regarding the accident, perhaps even the trucking company’s insurance agent. If you have not retained a lawyer, tell the insurance representative that you are retaining a lawyer and your lawyer will contact them. If you have retained a lawyer, give the insurance company representative the phone number of the law firm and no other information. If the insurance representative tries to engage in conversation, for example, by expressing concern about how you are feeling or whether your child was involved in the accident, do not respond. Simply say: “I am represented by a lawyer, and here is the number you can call.“
5. Do not talk to the trucking company’s claims adjuster or sign anything. You may be contacted by the trucking company’s claims adjuster. The designated investigator collects evidence to defend the trucking company against claims such as yours. The adjuster may even attempt to try to talk you out of hiring an attorney. Do not be fooled! The trucking company knows, if you are represented by a lawyer, they may have to pay out more money to settle your claim. If you are contacted by the trucking company’s adjuster, provide the phone number of your attorney, if you have retained one.  If you have not retained an attorney, tell the adjuster you are planning on hiring one, ask for the adjuster’s phone number and tell the adjuster you will have your attorney call. Again, do not get involved in a conversation with the claims adjuster. He or she may act like a concerned friend, but the motive is to get you to tell them information they may be able to use against you in the future, to minimize their liability and potentially deny your claim.
6. See a doctor as soon as possible after the truck accident. Keep records of any emergency medical treatment you received at the scene or at the hospital immediately following the collision or truck accident. As soon as you are released, make an appointment to follow up with your own doctor, and keep all records concerning your injuries and treatment. NTAA can help you find specialists to treat your injuries, and help you get the medical and rehabilitative assistance you need to recover.
7. Retain a Truck Accident Attorney. Because of the highly regulated nature of the trucking industry, and the heightened level of danger due to the size and instability of tractor-trailers, truck accident litigation can be complex. If you have been injured in a truck accident, contact a truck accident attorney immediately. The sooner you contact NTAA, the sooner we will be able to begin investigating the accident, gathering and preserving evidence and taking all measures necessary to preserve your legal rights and obtain full compensation for you.

Call National Truck Accident Attorneys Now.
Toll-Free: 844-334-5787.
24 hours a day, 7 days a week!