What to Do If You’ve Been in An Accident with a Commercial Truck

We’ve all been there at one time or another. You’re driving down the highway and see a big rig truck looming in your rear view mirror, or may you’ve found yourself driving at 60 miles per hour next to an 18-wheeler. These big trucks tower above our cars and SUVs, and are incredibly intimidating: if they send a shiver of fear down your spine, there’s good reason. Their sheer size makes them both frightening and deadly: when it comes to a collision between a passenger car and a big rig, there’s little doubt as to which will get the worse end of the deal.

Being intimidated while sharing the road with a commercial truck is a world away from actually having been injured in an accident with one. Truck accidents kill many people every year, and seriously injure even more. There are many different reasons why truck accidents happen, ranging from poor maintenance of the vehicle to drivers being distracted. Sometimes drivers are inexperienced or not well trained to handle such a large, powerful vehicle.  If you’ve been injured in an accident with a commercial truck you need an experienced advocate to represent you, get to the bottom of what happened, and make sure that you get the justice you deserve.

The most important thing for you to do if you’ve been the victim of any type of accident is to get the medical attention you need as quickly as possible. There’s nothing as precious as your health and wellbeing, so get yourself to a medical professional after an accident, even if you don’t think you’ve been hurt. Many injuries don’t make themselves known until days or even months later, and you need to make sure that you’re seen by a professional who knows what to look for.

With reference to the truck driver and their company, it is important to remember that no matter how genuinely concerned they appear to be, they are looking out for their own best interest, and you need to do so too. Do not make any comment to them, whether about how you’re feeling, who was at fault, or anything else. Speak to the police and get a detailed police report, take photos and speak to witnesses who saw the accident happen, but do not sign a release or accept a settlement offer without first speaking to an attorney. Attorneys and insurance representatives working on behalf of the trucking company or driver have just one priority, and that’s to minimize the liability of their company. Speaking with their attorney on your own can lead to you losing your rights.

If you have been injured in an accident with a commercial truck you have a high likelihood of being able to get compensation for your medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, and more, and having an experienced advocate working on your behalf will make the process much easier to navigate. Call our office today to set up a free consultation to discuss what happened. We’re here to help.