What Should I do if I was Involved in a Big Truck Accident?
In order to be successful in a personal injury claim for compensation following a traffic wreck involving an 18 wheeler big rig, you need to be aware of what you're up against when dealing with the might of the commerical trucking company. Hiring an experienced Fort Worth auto accident lawyer to fight for your legal rights is a must.
Here is a step-by-step guide taking you through what you should do following the crash: Call the Police - Immediately after the accident, you need to call the police. Even if everyone is fine - even if your car is drivable, call the police. A police officer can collect witness statements and record who was at fault in the accident report. The truck driver at fault might try to dissuade you from calling the police, but it's important that you call them anyway. A lot of the time, truckers will accept responsibility at the scene of the accident only to deny it later. Sadly, they can easily get away with this, especially if there is no responding police officer.
Treat Your Injuries - Get medical treatment as soon as possible. You need to get appropriate medical attention immediately, even if you think you're fine. As a board certified personal injury attorney I've worked for many people over the years who initially thought they were fine after the accident - only to end up with excruciating pain and injuries later. Remember that when pursuing a claim for damage you are able to claim for future as well as past medical treatment, so it is important that you get as full an idea of the wreck's implications on your life as possible.
Collect Information - If you can, get the contact information for all the parties involved - even witnesses. Get the insurance information from all the drivers involved. Most cell phones have a voice recorder on them, which will work great to record witness statements.
Take Pictures - Take pictures of your car AND the 18-wheeler that hit you. Pictures are priceless in serious tractor trailer and commercial truck accidents.
Be careful with what you say and sign - Don't talk to anyone from the trucking company. Don't talk to the other insurance companies or sign anything. Don't talk to the trucking company's claims adjuster or attorneys. Representatives from the trucking company and their insurance provider are trying to lessen their liability for the truck accident. One random comment or signature can be twisted to ruin your accident claim.
Contact the Anderson Law Firm in Fort Worth If your truck accident injuries are serious, you will most likely need to seek the advice of an experienced DFW truck wreck attorneys. At the Anderson Law Firm in Fort Worth, our lawyers have decades of experience in commercial truck accident cases. We understand the tricks and deceptive ways of trucking companies and are ready to play hardball on your behalf.
Mark Anderson has been practicing personal injury law since 1991 and is recognised as one of the best attorneys in his field.
Mark is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization – a distinction held by fewer than 2% of Texas lawyers. He was selected as a life member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum as recognition for his success in recovering compensation for his clients. He has been honored with the prestigious AV Rating by the Martindale Hubbard System and has been rated 10/10 (the highest level possible) by the AVVO Rating System which ranks attorneys based on experience, conduct and industry recognition. Mark was selected as a Top Personal Injury Attorney by Fort Worth Magazine in 2009 and 2010.
For more information about Mark, see his biography.
