There's often a lot of confusion, chaos, and stress after you've been involved in an accident with another vehicle. Being in a wreck can have a tremendous impact on your life in just seconds. Now, you've got a damaged car, medical bills, and lost work wages to deal with, in addition to injuries you have to endure.
When you're in an accident with a commercial vehicle, your chances of serious injury increase. The average car weighs 5,000 pounds, but an 18-wheel truck can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds, according to The Truckers Report. In an 18-wheeler car crash, it's the smaller vehicle that normally receives the brunt of the impact.
If you were in an accident with a commercial vehicle, there are some important steps you should take right now.
Contact the Police
Any accident involving damage to property or injured people merits a call to the police. Local law enforcement officers will investigate the incident and issue a police report. This report contains importation information about the accident, including the people, vehicles, and insurance information involved.
Even if you just exchanged insurance information at the accident scene, report the accident to law enforcement so you will receive an official police report. Your commercial vehicle wreck attorneys will need this report for your case.
Get Medical Treatment
Injuries in a car-commercial vehicle accident vary greatly. Walking away unharmed is the best-case scenario, but many people are not that lucky. You may suffer from whiplash or a concussion, injuries which may not show up at the time of the crash but appear days later. Serious injuries — such as disabling conditions and broken bones — can also be caused by a car-truck accident.
Even if you feel fine after a commercial vehicle accident, it's still wise to have a medical professional assess your condition. You might have an injury that will bother you later, and it's best to receive prompt treatment so you can recover as quickly as possible.
Contact an Attorney
Commercial vehicle drivers are bound by different regulations and rules than ordinary drivers. They must follow the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's regulations and rules.
Commercial vehicle wreck attorneys can take many steps to protect your rights and help you receive the compensation you're entitled to, including identifying all companies and insurers involved, consulting with experts, speaking with witnesses, and inspecting the data from the commercial truck's "black box," if applicable.
Share2 June 2020
If you are injured in an accident, what is your first move? While getting medical care should be your first priority, the fact of the matter is that working with the right lawyer can be incredibly helpful in making it easier to prevent problems. For starters, your lawyer can talk with you about what to do in order to prevent problems with your paperwork, and he or she can chat with you about what to do when you start getting calls from other attorneys talking about the case. On this website, check out great tips and tricks you can use to prevent problems with your recovery from a financial perspective.
