Protect Your Legal Rights After a Truck Accident
Five Big Mistakes After an Accident
After a serious accident, it may be difficult to think clearly, and you may be at a loss as what to do next—or sometimes, what not to do. There are a few big mistakes that are easy to make at the scene of a crash, including the following:
- Don’t refuse medical help. If you or somebody else has been injured, call 9-1-1 immediately. Even if you don’t need to be seen right away, it’s a good idea to get to a doctor and get looked over sooner rather than later. Internal injuries, strains, bruises, whiplash, and even traumatic brain injuries may not be apparent in the minutes immediately after the accident.
- Don’t admit fault at the scene. It sounds obvious, but even a simple “I’m sorry” could be construed as an admission of fault by the other driver’s insurance company or attorneys—even if you didn’t mean it that way. Your safest bet is to avoid communicating with the other driver any more than is necessary to politely get the appropriate contact and insurance information. If you must talk to someone at the scene, do it out of earshot of the other parties involved in the crash. Otherwise, silence is your best protection.
- Don’t forget to gather information. Not only should you get contact and insurance information from the other parties involved in the crash, you should also try and record as much as possible about the accident while it’s fresh in your mind. If anybody else nearby saw the accident, ask for contact information so that he or she can act as a witness later. Take photos of the crash and surrounding location if you are able to do so safely, as well as any injuries you or your passengers suffered.
- Don’t throw away your bills and receipts related to the crash. Hospital and doctor bills, medication costs, vehicle repairs, even rental car costs and other expenses related to the crash can all pile up quickly. Save any invoices, bills, or receipts from any expenses related to the accident. You and your attorney will use these to show the jury what the accident has cost you so that you can receive the compensation that you’re owed.
- Don’t forget to get legal help. Not retaining the services of a personal injury attorney with plenty of experience handling truck accidents is a huge mistake that you simply can’t afford to make. Commercial truck crashes are legally different from regular car crashes and can quickly become complex, as there can be multiple insurance companies, businesses, and regulatory agencies that may be involved. You need a professional on your side who understands the situation thoroughly.
When you keep these tips in mind after a crash, you’re taking positive steps towards actively protecting your own legal right to compensation for the injuries and losses you’ve suffered due to someone else’s negligence, carelessness, or recklessness on the road. Insurance companies will do everything in their power to reduce or even outright deny your claim, even when the accident wasn’t your fault, so it’s important that you defend your rights and seek the compensation you’re owed for your medical bills, rehabilitation or physical therapy, vehicle repair or replacement, lost wages, diminished future earnings, pain and suffering, and more.
Get Legal Help Today
If you’ve been hurt in a crash with a commercial truck in Texas, Wayne Wright LLP would like to hear from you today. We’re here to stand up for the victims of negligence on the road, and help those who have been injured receive the justice that they deserve in a court of law. To arrange a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our experienced legal professionals, call us by phone, use the contact form to send an email, or click the live chat box on this page right now.