What should I do immediately after a truck accident in Austin?

The 8 Steps to Take After a Truck Accident in Austin — Time Is Critical

Call 911, photograph the truck’s DOT number and all vehicle markings before anything is moved, seek medical attention the same day, and call Wayne Wright before speaking to any carrier representative, dispatcher, or insurance adjuster. The trucking company’s accident response team is already mobilizing. Black box data can overwrite when the truck is repaired. Every hour matters in an Austin truck accident case in a way that does not apply to car crashes.

Step 1: Call 911 and Secure Official Documentation

Call 911 immediately regardless of how the crash feels. Request both Austin Police Department response and emergency medical services. APD will generate a crash report — essential for the carrier’s insurance claim and for establishing the official record of the incident.

Request the incident number from the responding officer at the scene. The full APD crash report is typically available 3–5 business days later through the APD online records portal. If law enforcement does not respond, you must file a Texas CR-2 form with the Department of Public Safety within 10 days.

Step 2: Photograph and Document the Truck Before It Moves

Before any vehicle is moved, photograph everything — and with commercial trucks, specific information is critical:

• DOT number: The USDOT number displayed on the truck cab door identifies the motor carrier in federal records — this is your key to pulling the carrier’s FMCSA safety history
• License plate: Both the tractor and trailer plates — tractor and trailer are often registered separately to different entities
• Trailer number: Displayed on the trailer — useful for tracing the cargo owner and shipper
• Company name and markings: The operating carrier may differ from the name painted on the truck
• All vehicle damage: Multiple angles of both vehicles, skid marks, final resting positions, road surface conditions
• Cargo condition: Any visible cargo spillage or securement failures
• Dashcam: Photograph whether the truck has a visible dashcam — this preserves awareness that footage exists

Step 3: Seek Medical Attention the Same Day

Go directly to Dell Seton Medical Center, St. David’s, or the nearest Austin emergency room — even if you feel fine. Traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and internal injuries from high-impact truck crashes frequently do not manifest immediately. The adrenaline response following a serious crash can mask pain for hours.

Establishing same-day medical treatment is also critical for your claim. Every day without medical care after a truck accident gives the carrier’s adjuster a “gap in treatment” argument to reduce your recovery. Follow all treatment plans and never miss scheduled appointments.

Step 4: Do NOT Speak to the Carrier’s Representatives

The trucking company’s dispatcher, safety officer, or insurance adjuster may contact you at the crash scene or within hours afterward. They will present themselves as trying to help. Do not speak to them, and do not provide any statement — written, recorded, or verbal — without your attorney present.

This is not the same as refusing to cooperate with law enforcement. You must speak with responding police officers. But the carrier’s representatives are adverse parties whose sole interest is minimizing the carrier’s exposure. They are trained in this. You should not be navigating it alone.

Step 5: Get Witness Information Before Anyone Leaves

Witnesses to truck accidents — other drivers, passengers in nearby vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists — are among the most valuable evidence sources in the case. They leave crash scenes quickly. Get every available witness name and phone number before they depart. APD crash reports often capture only witnesses who volunteered their information to officers, missing bystanders who did not engage with law enforcement.

Step 6: Preserve All Physical Evidence

• Do not repair your vehicle until Wayne Wright or your attorney authorizes it — vehicle damage is physical evidence
• Keep all clothing worn in the crash (bloodstains and damage document injury severity)
• Save all dashcam footage from your own vehicle immediately — overwrite your own footage and it is gone
• Preserve all communications from the carrier, their insurer, or any adjuster in writing

Step 7: Do Not Post About the Crash on Social Media

Any post, photo, or statement about the accident, your injuries, or your physical activities after the crash can be used by the carrier’s defense team. Defense attorneys routinely monitor plaintiffs’ social media throughout litigation. A post showing you at a social event while claiming pain and suffering damages can significantly damage your recovery.

Step 8: Call Wayne Wright Before the 24-Hour Evidence Window Closes

Call 512-543-4397 immediately — not after the weekend, not after you’ve spoken to the carrier’s adjuster. Wayne Wright begins evidence preservation the day of retention: spoliation letters to the carrier, TxDOT camera subpoenas, business surveillance preservation demands, ECM download authorization, and FMCSA safety record pulls. The carrier’s team was activated at the crash scene. Your legal response needs to match that speed.