What Should I Do After a Truck Accident?
Orlando Attorney Cerasa is with you every step of the way
Truck accident victims often have many questions after a crash. One of the most pressing is usually what happens next?
In the minutes, hours, and days after a truck accident, The Cerasa Law Firm LLC knows there are steps you can take to improve your chances of getting the maximum compensation for your injuries and property loss.
Whether you were injured in a rollover on the nation’s most deadly stretch of highway – I-4 from Orlando to Tampa – an underride on US 192 in Kissimmee, or a wide left-turn crash with a garbage truck on International Drive, make your health the top priority. Common truck accident injuries include broken bones, internal bleeding, burns and brain injury.
If you are in pain or shock following a truck accident, stay put, wait for medical help to arrive, and hold off on making statements to insurance adjusters or police about how the crash happened.
Soon after any kind of truck accident it is wise to consult with a lawyer about the strength and value of your case. Our firm offers free claim reviews to accident victims.
You have the right to have a lawyer fight for your insurance claim. Depending on the circumstances of the accident, you may be able to seek compensation for past, current, and future accident-related medical expenses, disability equipment, lost wages, diminished earning potential, damaged property and other damages.
Contact our firm today to learn more about how the law applies to your situation and your best legal options going forward.
What to do after a truck accident
Without jeopardizing your health, if you are able, here are some steps you can take after a truck accident to help establish the strongest case for your claim.
Make a timeline
Immediately write down whatever accident details you can remember, including where and when the crash took place, who was involved, witnesses, the type and color of vehicles involved, as well as damages and injuries. If you were hit by a commercial truck, record the name of the trucking company and get the truck’s DOT number, which is often located on the driver-side door.
Your on-the-scene timeline will help keep the facts straight later when memories of the crash become fuzzy.
Take photos and video
Get photos and video of the accident scene, damages, and injuries from multiple angles and distances. Smartphone or cellphone photos or video is fine.
Call 911
If emergency crews have not already responded, call 911 and tell the dispatcher that there’s been a traffic accident and your location. 911 is a recorded line and most calls received are considered public information. Be helpful to the dispatcher, let them know if there are any injuries and how many people are involved, but do not offer details about how the crash happened.
The responding police will create a crash report. You will need this document to file a claim.
Get checked out
Even if you feel fine after an accident, it is wise to be examined by emergency medical responders if they are on the scene. Not all truck accident injuries are visible with the naked eye and a professional may be able to detect serious damage – like internal bleeding – that you aren’t yet feeling.
Whether you were examined at the scene of the accident or not, as soon as you are able get checked out by a doctor.
Do not offer crash details
The insurance adjusters will be interested in how the crash happened. However, immediately after being knocked around by an 18-wheeler is not the best time to give official statements.
If you are asked by the insurance company to make a statement, respectfully decline. You can tell them that you would like to speak to an attorney first.
Call a lawyer
A lawyer can help you understand your policy and the value of your claim. He can handle the insurance companies, conduct an accident investigation, and negotiate your settlement. If necessary, he may also file a civil lawsuit against an insurance provider that refuses to budge from an unreasonable settlement offer.
Many truck accident victims don’t realize that most lawyers will represent them on contingency. Under this agreement, there is no hourly rate, deposit, or retainer fee for you to pay. Your lawyer’s fee is calculated into your settlement or verdict and paid by the at-fault party’s insurance company. The attorney is only paid if he wins.
Get the attorney that spends more time on cases than on TV
Attorney Michael Cerasa has been fighting for accident victims’ rights in Central Florida for more than 15 years. He builds strong, evidence-backed cases that the insurance companies can’t ignore.
Attorney Cerasa is not like the lawyers you see on TV. While they’re hollering about big windfall settlements or wandering dark hallways to dramatic music, Cerasa is working on your case. You can always trust that we will take your case seriously. We will thoroughly investigate the accident, collect evidence other attorneys would likely miss, and develop an aggressive strategy designed to get you maximum claim compensation.
Our firm gives truck accident victims and their loved ones free case consultations and we often work on contingency. If you are ready to learn more about your case and how to get the most from your claim, contact us today.