After a commercial trucking accident, there are three things you need to do in order to protect your rights. The first is to respond appropriately at the crash scene. The second is to get medical help. The third is to get legal help. Each of these steps is vitally important to ensure you can get the care you need to address serious truck accident injuries, and to ensure you do not face financial losses from a truck accident.
If you are able, before you leave the scene of a truck accident, you should get the contact information from the driver of the truck, including where the truck driver works.Because there are often questions about the true cause of the truck accident, you should obtain contact details from witnesses who can corroborate your story about how the crash happened.
Calling law enforcement is vitally important as well, because police will prepare a report of the crash so you can use this as evidence. You will be able to obtain a copy of this crash report later from the police according to instructions on the website of the Chicago Police Department, as well as from other law enforcement agencies.
The second step you must take after a commercial truck crash is to get medical help. Serious injuries occur because of truck accidents, and all too often, some symptoms can start slow and get worse as the hours and days pass. Getting checked out by a doctor means a healthcare professional can determine if you have a serious medical condition that has to be treated. Your doctor also keeps records of crash injuries, which you can use to support your case for damages caused by a truck accident.
Finally, the third step you need to take after a commercial truck accident is to contact an attorney experienced in handling commercial motor vehicle collisions. Attorneys can help by dealing with insurance companies, rather than leaving it up to you to talk with insurance adjusters, especially when you may still be suffering from painful injuries. There may be multiple insurance companies involved in the truck accident claim, including your own insurer, an insurer for the driver, and an insurer for the trucking company. You never want to inadvertently make a mistake that affects your claim when dealing with any insurers.
A Chicago trucking accident attorney can also provide assistance in determining who could be held accountable for the truck crash, can help you to send a settlement demand letter asking for compensation, can assist you in negotiating a truck accident settlement, can help you investigate and build a strong truck accident claim, and can provide representation in a civil court action for personal injury or wrongful death after the collision. All these steps you must take after a commercial truck accident are best taken with appropriate legal guidance.
