Truck accidents devastate lives in an instant. The massive size and weight of semi-trucks and tractor-trailers mean collisions often result in catastrophic injuries or fatalities. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) shared that in 2021, 5,904 large trucks and buses were involved in fatal crashes. In the chaotic aftermath, you may feel disoriented, in shock, and unsure of what to do next. Don’t know what to do after an accident with a truck?
As an experienced Omaha truck accident attorney, Mueller Schmidt Mulholland & Cooling understands how overwhelming this situation feels. We want to provide clear guidance on the steps after a crash to protect your health, legal rights, and financial future. Following proper accident procedures dramatically improves your chances of obtaining fair compensation.
Ensure Your Safety First
Don’t know what to do after a semi-truck accident? What are some accident procedures for truck drivers you should watch for? Immediately after an accident with a truck, your top priority is the safety of yourself, your passengers, and others involved. Carefully steer your vehicle out of traffic to the shoulder or a nearby safe place if possible. Turn on your hazard lights to alert oncoming traffic.
Check if anyone suffered apparent injuries. Call 911 to report the crash and request emergency medical assistance. Provide the exact location and number of vehicles involved. Remember, some truck accident injuries like concussions and internal bleeding may not show symptoms right away. Always get evaluated by a doctor as soon as possible after a collision, even if you initially feel unharmed.
If you smell leaking fuel or see smoke, get everyone a safe distance away in case of a fire or explosion. Set out reflective triangles or road flares if you have them. Avoid moving anyone with neck/back pain or suspected spinal injuries unless necessary, as you could unintentionally worsen their condition.
Document Evidence at the Scene
Once you address urgent medical issues, gather information to support your potential truck accident claim. Evidence collected at the crash site often proves critical to determining fault and achieving a fair settlement.
If you haven’t already, calling the police as an accident victim is a priority. Officers will investigate and create an official truck accident report. If the police reported all of the details of those involved in the accident, all the information and evidence should be gathered.
If your injuries allow, take the following actions:
- Take photos and video of the truck, your vehicle, and any other automobiles involved from multiple angles. Capture hazardous road conditions, traffic signs and signals, and debris.
- Write down or record your recollection of what happened before, during, and after the collision. Note the truck driver’s behavior, such as swerving or speeding.
- Get the names and badge numbers of responding police officers.
- Obtain insurance and contact details from the trucker and other motorists involved.
- Talk to eyewitnesses. Ask what they observed and record their names and phone numbers.
- Preserve your clothing and damaged personal items as evidence.
The trucking company and their insurers will quickly deploy investigators to the scene. It would be best if you acted fast to document your proof. An experienced truck accident attorney can guide you on evidence preservation after a crash.
Watch What You Say
Understandably, you may feel angry and want to confront the truck driver after an accident. However, getting into a heated argument will not help your case. It could seriously jeopardize your claim.
Avoid making statements like “I’m sorry,” or “I should have seen the truck.” Do not admit or assign blame. State the facts to police and medical professionals and let them draw their conclusions.
The truck driver may pressure you not to call the cops or involve insurance. They may claim they will pay out of pocket for your vehicle damage. Refuse this offer. You have yet to learn the full extent of your losses.
Insurance adjusters may contact you within hours of an accident with a truck to get a recorded statement. Remember, their goal is to find ways to limit or deny your payout. Do not answer questions about the crash or your injuries. Do not agree to give a recorded statement. Decline to sign any forms, including medical record releases. Refer them to your attorney instead.
Get Medical Treatment
After reporting the accident, seek medical attention. Seeking prompt medical attention protects both your health and your right to compensation after an accident with a truck. Go to an ER, urgent care center, or doctor as soon as possible following a crash, even if you feel uninjured.
Some severe conditions may not exhibit symptoms for hours or days after a wreck. Prompt treatment leads to better medical outcomes and generates records to support your claim. Without this paper trail, insurers will argue that you were not hurt.
Attend all follow-up appointments and adhere to your doctor’s treatment plan. Gaps in care allow negligent parties to claim you made your injuries worse.
Report the Crash
After you leave the accident scene, you have a limited time to file an official crash report. Nebraska requires motorists to submit a written report within 10 days if the collision caused injury, death, or at least $1,000 in property damage. Failure to comply may result in license suspension.
You must also notify your auto insurance provider about the accident with a truck. However, this report shows the basic facts of when and where the crash occurred. Do not editorialize. Do not give opinions on who caused the wreck. Your attorney can take over communications with insurers.
In a truck accident claim, multiple parties may share fault. Potentially liable entities include:
- The truck driver
- The trucking company that owns the vehicle
- Cargo loading companies
- Truck and truck part manufacturers
- Third-party maintenance providers
Determining all responsible parties in your crash requires a thorough, immediate investigation. An experienced truck accident lawyer will get to work quickly to preserve driver logs, black box data, vehicle inspection reports, and other trucking company evidence before it can be lost or destroyed.
Be Cautious About Early Settlement Offers
Insurers may contact you shortly after a truck accident with a settlement offer. While taking quick money is tempting, especially if your injuries prevent you from working, accepting an early payout is almost always a mistake.
Initial offers are lowballs that will not cover your bills. Some injuries take months to reach maximum recovery. You cannot know your total medical expenses, lost earnings, and lasting impairments right after a crash.
Once you accept a settlement, you waive your right to sue for further damages. Insurers count on your financial desperation to pressure you into signing away your rights. Let an experienced truck accident attorney review any offers and negotiate for an amount that fully compensates you.
Contact Mueller Schmidt Mulholland & Cooling
If hit by a truck in Nebraska, you may need help determining where to turn for trustworthy guidance. For over 56 years, the compassionate attorneys at Mueller Schmidt Mulholland & Cooling have helped individuals rebuild their lives after devastating accidents. Our law firm has the experience and resources to take on trucking companies and their insurers to get you the compensation you deserve.
After an accident with a truck, you need a law firm that cares about you as a person, not a case file. At Mueller Schmidt Mulholland & Cooling, we combine fierce legal advocacy with the compassion your family deserves during this traumatic time. Call us today at 402-999-9000 to discuss your best next steps after a truck collision. We are here to help you with your motor vehicle accident and truck accident case.
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