There is no detailed blueprint for how to handle a semi-truck accident—these are traumatic, often unprecedented events for most victims. That said, a couple of items must be on your checklist, including seeking immediate medical attention and hiring a truck accident lawyer as soon as possible.
If you take these two steps, a lawyer will handle the rest. Because attorneys represent many semi-truck accident victims, they will have valuable advice for you to follow.
Waiting Can’t Be an Option After a Semi-Truck Accident
It’s natural for semi-truck accident victims to want to decompress. Resting will likely be a key part of your recovery process, but you should not rest too hard until you have:
Received an Extensive Evaluation for Physical Injuries
Trucks are overrepresented when it comes to fatal collisions. What this also means is that when a semi-truck hits you, there’s a high likelihood of both:
- Physical injuries
- Psychological trauma
While psychological and emotional trauma can prove life-threatening down the line, your physical injuries may be immediately life-threatening. Ensure that your life is not at risk (and document the effects of your accident) by seeing a medical professional if you have not already.
Sought Any Mental Health Services You May Need
Many auto accident survivors experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Even if you avoid PTSD, you may face anxiety, lost quality of life, and other serious conditions that warrant treatment.
A truck accident attorney can connect you with mental health professionals if you haven't already seen them. You should not wait long to get help for your mental health.
Found a Proven and Trustworthy Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer for Your Case
You may pause at any time to hire a truck accident lawyer. You might speak with attorneys between doctors' appointments, for instance. Each of these steps listed here is high-priority, and your lawyer will need to:
- Prevent insurance companies from taking advantage of you (a common tactic in the aftermath of semi-truck accidents)
- Secure all relevant witness accounts, videos, and other evidence that tends to degrade or become unavailable with time.
- Ensure the timely and accurate filing of all insurance claims and lawsuits.
Your lawyer will also document your injuries. This is important because ailments like traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can grow worse with time, and your lawyer will document such changes.
Let a Lawyer Guide the Way After a Semi-Truck Collision—They’ve Done It Countless Times Before
A semi-truck accident attorney will remove all confusion and mystery from the post-accident process. Some of the topics they will cover, as they relate to you and your case, are:
What to Do
Not only will your lawyer tell you explicitly what you should do, they may also:
- Help craft a written statement to one or more insurance companies
- Take over all communications with insurers (and all others involved in the case)
- Refer you to medical professionals
- Refer you to mental health service providers
- Take other steps to make your life easier after the semi-truck accident
In fact, one of your lawyer’s most important “what to do” may be to leave the work to them.
What Not to Do
Your semi-truck accident lawyer should have several explicit warnings about actions that can harm you or your case. They may advise you not to:
- Speak directly to the insurance company (including making any formal statements)
- Contact anyone involved in your accident
- Neglect your doctor’s treatment advice
- Engage in strenuous activity
The primary point is that a lawyer can provide easy-to-follow guidance, including what you should and should not do after a semi-truck collision.
Who Is at Fault for Your Semi-Truck Accident
As your lawyer begins to build your case, they will tell you who they are seeking compensation from. Some of the parties that are often financially responsible for the cost of a semi-truck accident include:
- Truck drivers who may cause accidents through actions like speeding, intoxicated driving, tailgating, fatigued driving, and failing to inspect their truck
- Trucking companies, who are often liable for their truckers’ failures and may also commit negligence in several ways
- Vehicle manufacturers can be liable when defects, failures to recall, and other forms of negligence lead to semi-truck accidents.
Understanding why your semi-truck accident happened will likely take a detailed investigation. Let a lawyer lead that investigation, as it will be one of many critical steps in your claim or lawsuit.
Who Owes You Compensation
In some cases, the party who pays for a victim’s damages is not the same party who caused the accident. In most cases, it’s an insurance company paying the cost of their policyholder’s negligence.
Your attorney may start your case by filing an insurance claim (maybe with the trucking company’s insurer) and then pivot to filing a lawsuit if the insurance company acts in bad faith.
Your Options for Seeking Compensation (and Their Recommendations)
You may have some say in how you seek compensation. The two primary options are insurance claims and lawsuits, and a lawsuit can lead to a trial. Your lawyer will explain their strategy, ensure you’re on board, and update it as necessary.
Damages You Can Expect Your Lawyer to Pursue Money For
For many victims, the fallout from a semi-truck accident is catastrophic. Some of the considerations your lawyer will factor into their settlement demands include:
Your Physical Injuries
The details of your injuries will be critically important to your lawyer’s case. Specifically, your lawyer will:
- Get specific diagnoses for all of your injuries
- Learn about the symptoms you’re enduring (and may endure in the future) because of those injuries
- Have professionals diagnose any disabilities
- Track the financial cost of your medical care, rehabilitation, medications, and other injury-related costs
Your physical injuries will affect many other aspects of your case, including your pain and suffering and the cost of your economic losses.
Your Psychological and Emotional Trauma (and Other Types of Pain and Suffering)
If you’re in a semi-truck accident, you’ll suffer (and probably have already). Your lawyer will:
- Arrange for a mental health professional to evaluate you if you need it
- Document exactly what psychological and emotional symptoms you’re experiencing because of the accident
- Determine the types of treatment you’ll receive for your pain and suffering, if any
- Keep track of the cost of treatment
Post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, personality changes, sleep issues, and lost quality of life are just some types of pain and suffering truck accident victims may experience.
Your Property Damage
Vehicles are often totaled when a motor vehicle strikes them. Additionally, victims often suffer damage to cell phones, accessories, clothing, items they’re carrying in their vehicle, and other property when such a serious accident happens.
The Effect of the Accident on Your Career
Professional harm is a common feature of semi-truck accident cases, and this harm can include:
- Lost income
- Diminished earning capacity
- The loss of potential bonuses and promotions
- Loss of benefits
Expect your lawyer to speak with you about the direct impact of your accident on your career. Your attorney may also speak with your lawyer (if appropriate) and review employment records as they calculate your professional losses.
If you have lost a loved one because of a semi-truck accident, a wrongful death lawyer will lead your case. From funeral costs to the loss of your loved one’s comfort and support, survivors of fatal accidents deserve fair compensation for their many losses.
Specific Services You Will Get from Your Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer
A semi-truck accident attorney helps their client in so many ways that it can be difficult to list them all. Their advice, for example, may take many forms and prove priceless.
However, truck accident lawyers take many specific steps to complete their client’s cases. These steps typically include:
Collecting Evidence from the Collision
This evidence may include:
- Sworn eyewitness accounts
- Video (may even come from the truck’s inward or outside cameras)
- Details of the truck driver’s personal or performance record, which may support the account of their negligent behavior
- Any police report related to the accident
- Your account of how the collision happened
Lawyers often rely on professionals, too. These professionals may have trucking, automotive, or law enforcement backgrounds and may testify about who is at fault for the accident.
Documenting Your Damages
As discussed, a lawyer will secure medical records, medical bills, mental health professional testimony, and all other proof of your accident-related damages. This documentation must be extensive, as your lawyer will expect liable parties to challenge the severity and cost of your damages.
Proving Liability
Your lawyer will establish who owes you compensation for your losses. They may do this by:
- Proving who caused the collision
- Citing details of insurance policies
- Taking any other measures that trace your accident to financial responsibility
Lawyers are familiar with tracing the cause of an accident to financially liable parties. Let your attorney demand fair compensation from everyone who must pay it to you.
Calculating Damages
Lawyers must establish the value of their client’s cases to secure a fair settlement or verdict. The cost of your case will stem from your current losses and any medical care, pain and suffering, and other damages you will endure in the near or distant future.
Negotiating a Settlement
When your lawyer has calculated your damages, they may either:
- Present their settlement demands to liable parties (in many cases, an insurance company)
- Respond to a settlement offer that has already been offered (again, likely by an insurance company)
An insurance company likely covers any liable truck driver or trucking company. Therefore, your lawyer’s initial settlement negotiations will likely occur with the insurance company’s representatives.
Completing Every Step of a Lawsuit, If You File One
Many semi-truck accident claims end with a settlement between one or more insurers and the accident victim. Others lead to a lawsuit, and some of those go to trial.
When choosing your semi-truck accident lawyer, look for one with a record of securing verdicts (as opposed to settlements). This will show you that the lawyer:
- Will not pressure you to accept a settlement because it is the easiest or safest path for them
- Is willing to go to court when it is the best decision for their client
- Is capable of convincing a jury to pay their client
Of course, the larger the settlements a lawyer has recovered, the more you may note those settlements.
Overseeing Every Other Detail of Your Case
Semi-truck accident cases involve:
- Countless phone calls
- Drafted documents
- Interactions with the court
- Hours spent on strategy
You deserve your time to focus on your recovery, so let a lawyer manage every detail of your case. By handling the complexities of your claim, your attorney will ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve while you concentrate on healing. This way, you can regain your strength without the added stress of legal proceedings, knowing that a dedicated professional is fighting for your rights and advocating on your behalf. Prioritize your well-being and let the professionals handle the rest.
Semi-Truck Accident Cases Require More Than Most—Here’s What We Mean
There should be no question about hiring a semi-truck accident attorney, as these cases often prove challenging. Some of the more complicated aspects of these cases include:
- Securing evidence from a trucking company, as this is likely a hostile party who your lawyer will be seeking compensation from
- Proving the accident cause beyond a doubt, as trucks are especially complicated vehicles that exist within an especially complex industry
- Convincing liable parties to pay, as trucking companies and insurance companies are both in the business of minimizing financial liability to maximize profit, even when it’s clear that they owe money
Truck accident lawyers routinely overcome these challenges to secure the best possible outcomes for their clients. They understand the intricacies of these cases and leverage their experience to navigate complex regulations and insurance negotiations. Don’t wait to hire your attorney; prompt action can significantly enhance your chances of a successful claim.
Hire Your Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer Today
Each truck accident case is subject to deadlines. If you do not take these deadlines seriously, you may risk your case’s eligibility. A truck accident lawyer is available today to discuss your case and get to work, so complete your free consultation as soon as possible.
