Five Steps to Take after a Commercial Truck Accident
Few things can be scarier than being involved in an accident with a commercial truck. Due to the sheer size of these vehicles and the amount of cargo they tend to transport, even a low-speed collision can have devastating consequences.
The injuries resulting from a commercial truck accident can be serious in nature and might require extensive treatment and care. So, it’s necessary for you to know what you should do after a commercial truck accident in order to increase your chances of recovering the compensation you deserve.
Urgent Steps after a Commercial Truck Accident in New York
1. File a Report with the Police
Call 911 immediately and inform the authorities about the accident. File a report with the police and make sure you get a copy of it.
2. Exchange Information with the Truck Driver
Talk to the truck driver and get the following information (if you can).
- The driver’s name
- Address and phone number
- The truck company they work for
- License plate number
- Insurance policy number
3. Collect Evidence at the Accident Scene
Photographic evidence can go a long way in corroborating your side of the story and strengthening your claim against the at-fault party. So, take as many pictures and videos as you can of the accident scene with your cell phone.
You should take pictures of the following things.
- Visible damage to your vehicle
- Your injuries
- Damaged personal belongings
- Traffic signals
- Skid marks, broken glass, debris, and other signs of the accident
Also, talk to people who might have witnessed the accident and note down their name, address, and phone number.
4. Get Medical Help
Get medical help as soon as you can – even if you are not visibly injured, not in pain, and feel perfectly fine. Firstly, the rush of adrenaline can mask the pain to a great extent, so you might not even realize that you are injured. Secondly, the symptoms of traumatic brain injuries, internal organ injuries, and spinal cord injuries (which are quite common in truck accidents) might not be visible right away and you might start showing symptoms only after a few days.
It is best to have a skilled truck accident lawyer on your side as soon as possible who can guide you about these concerns and help protect your right to compensation.
5. Contact a New York Commercial Truck Accident Lawyer
In a truck accident claim, the truck company that employs the driver can be held vicariously liable under a doctrine called respondent superior (let the master answer). You can rest assured that the truck company will field a team of lawyers and will do everything they can to deny liability.
So, you need to be represented by an equally skilled, experienced, and resourceful lawyer who can stand up to the company and recover the damages you deserve. In many cases, the trucking company will have vicarious liability for the negligence of its driver.
Your attorney will be able to investigate and determine whether the trucking company was at fault in hiring an unfit driver, whether the training provided to the driver was inadequate, whether the driver records and logs were poorly maintained, and whether the driver was fatigued or drowsy because of excessive work pressure from the employer.
Commercial vehicle accidents are often more complex because multiple parties may be liable. A top-rated attorney will be able to maximize your compensation by holding all at-fault parties fully accountable.
Injured in a Truck Accident? Our New York Commercial Truck Accident Lawyers Are Ready to Help You!
Truck accident claims can be extremely complicated to handle and require the expertise of a seasoned personal injury attorney. Attorney Michael S. Lamonsoff has decades of experience in handling motor vehicle accident claims and has obtained several multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts for his clients over the years.
Nicknamed ‘The Bull’, Michael S. Lamonsoff has the expertise, resources, and connections to stand up to truck companies, negotiate aggressively, and recover every dollar you are entitled to.
To discuss your claim with an experienced truck accident lawyer, call us today at 212-962-1020 or contact us online and schedule a free consultation.