In a single year, nearly 5,000 large trucks and buses were involved in fatal crashes. An accident involving a truck could alter your life. You might find yourself out of work while you heal from your injuries.
If you were injured in a truck accident, don’t hesitate to file a lawsuit. Make sure to avoid these costly truck accident lawsuit errors throughout the process. Otherwise, making these mistakes could hurt your ability to fight for compensation.
Learn more about how to properly file your truck accident case with these tips today.
1. Neglecting to Call the Police
The first mistake you might make after sustaining a truck accident injury is neglecting to call the police. Always call the police to file a police report after a crash. In some states, you’re obligated legally to file a police report.
In some cases, the official police report can indicate who was at fault for the crash. For example, perhaps the truck driver failed to follow traffic laws. Maybe they were driving under the influence or drove through a red light.
The police report can help support any claims you made after you leave the crash site.
When the police arrive at the scene, make sure to avoid embellishing or assigning blame. Don’t make the mistake of apologizing for the accident, either. Even if you weren’t at fault for the crash, an apology is seen as an admission of guilt.
Instead, walk the police through everything that happened leading up to the crash. Don’t leave the scene of the accident until the police officer clears you to go. If you leave before police arrive, you could get charged with a hit-and-run.
Before the police leave, ask them for a copy of their report. If they’re not done with the report, follow up later or have your lawyer request it on your behalf. Make sure to write down the officer’s name and badge number before leaving the scene as well.
2. Forgetting to Gather Evidence
Don’t rush to leave the scene of the accident. Instead, take the time to gather evidence while you wait for police to arrive and assess the situation. Your lawyer can use the evidence you gather to prove you weren’t at fault for the crash.
For example, you can use photo and video evidence to demonstrate the property damage that occurred. Get footage of your vehicle and the other driver’s vehicle from every angle.
Before leaving, gather footage of the road conditions as well. For example, maybe a pothole or slick roads contributed to the accident. Perhaps there was construction nearby.
Write down your recollection of what happened while you’re at the crash site, too. It’s normal to forget details regarding the crash after the fact.
Before leaving the scene of the crash, gather information about the driver as well, including their:
- Name
- Insurance information
- Truck make, model, year, and color
- License plate number
- Registration number
- Commercial driver’s license (CDL) information
Determine what company they work for as well.
Otherwise, look around. Did anyone witness the crash? Ask if they’re comfortable providing their contact information.
Make sure the police get the chance to speak with them to get an official statement, too.
3. Not Visiting a Doctor
Whether or not you sustained a truck accident injury, visit a doctor. The doctor’s official assessment of your injuries will benefit your claim. In fact, you might not realize you sustained a serious injury until it’s too late.
You could have internal bleeding, a broken bone, or a concussion. Only a medical professional can fully assess your health after an accident.
Keep track of your doctor’s visits, medications, treatments, and surgeries. Make sure to follow up after your initial appointment, too. Otherwise, opposing counsel might argue there was a gap in your treatment plan.
This gap could make it seem like your injuries weren’t as severe as you initially claimed.
Keeping track of your truck accident lawsuit documents will help you argue for the full amount of compensation you’re due.
4. Waiting Too Long
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is waiting too long to file your truck accident lawsuit. Allowing the lawsuit filing deadline to lapse will impact your ability to fight for compensation.
You don’t have to keep track of deadlines relevant to your case alone, though. Instead, hire an experienced personal injury attorney. They’ll ensure you don’t miss any deadlines relevant to your case.
5. Not Hiring a Lawyer
You might feel capable of filing a truck accident lawsuit alone. Going it alone, however, could lead you to make costly mistakes. If the case goes to court, a judge might not take you seriously if you’re representing yourself, too.
Instead, hire an experienced injury attorney who specializes in auto accident cases. Determine how many truck accident lawsuits they’ve filed in the past year. Ask how much they were able to win for their clients, too.
Hiring an experienced attorney will ensure you maximize your claim.
You can start your search for injury attorney options here.
6. Negotiating Alone
Don’t negotiate with the other party’s insurance company alone. The insurance company will expect that you want to close the case as soon as possible. They might expect you to accept any lowball offer they send as a result.
Your lawyer can handle these negotiations on your behalf to ensure you don’t make such a costly mistake. They’ll also fight to ensure you receive the full amount of compensation you’re due.
7. Posting on Social Media
Don’t post about your truck accident case on social media. Don’t post anything about how you’re “fine,” either. Posts about the accident might backfire later.
The insurance adjuster might use your post to argue you weren’t affected by the accident. You could hurt your truck accident case as a result.
Quick Compensation: Avoid These Truck Accident Lawsuit Errors
Don’t let these truck accident lawsuit errors keep you from receiving the compensation you’re due. Instead, take the time to hire an experienced attorney. With their help, you can avoid leaving money on the table.
Find the representation you need to recover your losses today.
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