Steps To Take After a Severe Truck Accident

An 18-wheeler may also be known as a semi-truck. An 18-wheeler truck accident occurs when a large, commercial truck slams into another driver, either another truck or a passenger vehicle. What makes 18-wheel truck accidents different from typical car accidents is that they’re often much more severe, with costlier injuries due to the larger size of the vehicle.

Important Steps to Take After an 18-Wheeler Accident

Here are a few important steps to take following an 18-wheeler truck accident:

Receive Medical Care

Injuries are common following an 18-wheeler truck accident. Some of these injuries may be severe, whereas others may be minor. However, receiving medical care for any injuries is always a good idea. Immediate medical care ensures you don’t have any other symptoms which may become worse later.

Notify the Police

It may also be a good idea to notify the police of the 18-wheeler truck accident. This creates an official police report that may later be important to your case. The police can also dispatch medical care or someone to come out and clean up the road. The police may also begin an investigation into the accident to find out what happened.

Talk With a Lawyer

Before talking with the insurance company or giving a written or recorded statement, be sure to talk with a lawyer. The insurance company will likely begin collecting case information as soon as possible. Any information that they get from you, they may try to use against you. For example, if you claim right after the accident that you feel fine, only to find out that the adrenaline from the accident covered up a real injury, the insurance company may use this against you.

Collect Evidence

One of the benefits of working with a truck accident lawyer is that they’ll begin investigating your case. However, some evidence is better collected early on, as it may not be available later. For example, you may want to take photographs or videos from the scene of the accident. You can also request the contact information of any witnesses on site.

The time following a truck accident can be hectic. However, keeping these four tips in mind can help you protect yourself and your legal options. Once you reach out to a personal injury lawyer, you can also count on them to help file your case.

Recoverable Damages in an 18-Wheeler Accident

Personal injury cases allow you to recover incurred damages. Damages are common in 18-wheel accidents because of the heavy weight and large size of the semi-truck. Filing a lawsuit against the responsible driver in an 18-wheeler accident may allow you to recover certain costs like:

Medical bills
Surgical fees
Hospital transportation costs
Around-the-clock care
Daycare costs
Rehabilitation
Temporary or permanent mobility equipment
Lost wages
Diminished earning capability
Pain and suffering
Mental counseling

Just as everyone’s damages and injuries following an 18-wheeler truck accident differ, so do the compensation amounts. Work with a personal injury lawyer to calculate your damages. This can help you evaluate any settlement offers that you may receive from the insurance or trucking company. It’s also important to consider both the short- and long-term effects of the accident.

Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer Near You in Westfield NJ to Discuss Your Truck Accident Case

Were you or a loved one injured due to a truck accident in New Jersey? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Drazin and Warshaw, P.C. represent clients injured because of accidents in Westfield, Clark, Rahway, Linden, and throughout Ocean County, Monmouth County, Union County, and Middlesex County, New Jersey. Call (732) 576-8860 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 3315 Route 35, Hazlet, NJ 07730 as well as offices in Red Bank, Brick, and Westfield.

The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.