Truck accidents are some of the most traumatic road traffic accidents in Florida. These accidents have a higher potential for damage and injury, simply because you are usually dealing with an impact involving a 70,000 pound machine. Needless to say, these trucks are likely to cause destruction at impact, no question about it. The most important thing to know is that if you’ve been in a truck accident you must remain calm and safe.
Here are a few essentials to keep in mind after being involved in a Florida truck accident.
1) Make Sure You Are Safe And Call The Police Immediately
The MOST IMPORTANT thing to do after a truck accident is to make sure you are safe, take some time to make sure you are ok and to make sure your car is in a safe place. Once you verify your safety, call the 9-11 immediately. Keep in mind that Truck accidents are extremely dangerous collisions with heavy machinery that can cause serious injuries, many times these collisions leave vehicles in unsafe positions on and off the road. Safety is always essential, depending on the position of the vehicle in many cases the police will need to get involved in order to safely move vehicles and clear the accident. Due to the danger of a truck accident, it is very possible that injuries can be imminent. Some cases may require immediate medical assistance, it is important to remain calm and call the police so that a trained professional can asses the situation.
Always call the police, many people think it may be a better idea not to get law enforcement involved and that is wrong. The police are trained to handle these kind of emergencies. Later, a Florida personal injury truck accident lawyer can take the police statements, reports and emergency records to help protect your interest and claim later.
2) Gather Information From Witnesses And The Other Driver
Remember that safety is your number one priority after a Florida truck accident. Once the situation is under control and you are safe, try to gather as much information about the accident as possible. Try to remember, recall and if possible, jot down any important aspects of what happened. Get information from witnesses that may have stopped or been present during the accident in these are accessible safely. Witnesses can be essential to a personal injury truck accident case and the more witness information you can gather the better. In many cases, fault may be questioned or denied for the wrong reasons and these witnesses can give an account of what really happened in the case. Gather their names and phone numbers when possible and make sure you inform the police so they can take their statement.
It is also important to gather the other drivers information too, this may include basic information such as name, address, phone number and the name of the company they were working for at the time of the accident. The most important information you want to gather is the insurance information of the other driver. In order to make things more efficient for your Florida personal injury truck accident lawyer, it is a good idea to try and obtain a picture of the other drivers insurance card in order to make sure you have the correct insurance company name and policy number. Write down information about the vehicle or vehicles involved in the accident. Make sure you get a good vehicle description, a registration number and license plate number that can accurately identify the truck, vehicle or vehicles involved.
As stated above, do not forget to document information regarding the actual accident and an account of what happened, write down the date, time, address and location of the accident if possible; take note of businesses with possible cameras in the area, take pictures of the scene and gather notes concerning details of the event and damage, these can help as evidence in the claims process that will be initiated and filed by your Florida personal injury truck accident lawyer. One very important key is do not forget to get the police report information, many times the final report will not be ready until a couple of days but the officer will give you information about the report and in many cases a reference number for the police report. This is going to be something that is needed by your Florida personal injury truck accident lawyer in order to obtain the actual finalized police report and to use that report later in your case.
All this information can be attributed to making a case for negligence in order to receive just compensation for your damages. Many times, even professional truck drivers are not paying attention, or use their phone while driving, this information can be useful for your Florida personal injury truck accident lawyer to establish grounds for negligence. To learn more about negligence you should read this article here.
3) Gather Visual Proof : Take Pictures Of Damages, Injuries And Vehicles
After something as scary as a truck accident the last thing on your mind is taking pictures, however, keep in mind that visual proof can be a crucial part of your case. Damages are anything from physical damage, personal injury, property damage and other legal and technical aspects your attorney can inform you of. Visual proof will be a great help for your Florida personal injury truck accident lawyer. Try to take as many pictures of all the vehicle damage involved and all damages as long as you are able to stay safe. You may also want to get pictures of the damage to the other vehicle involved in order to establish a theory of accident. There are experts that can be used in some cases that can asses the damages to determine fault, impact and damages. These experts asses pictures and the vehicles and trucks theme-selves to determine fault by the way the car impacted.
Always make sure to take pictures of all your injuries, these are esential damages that can include bruising or anything from physical appearance of your limbs to visual gashes or possible cuts. These visuals may help your Florida personal injury truck accident lawyer make the case for your medical claim benefits later. The most important thing is safety, IF you can take pictures always make sure you are out of harms way.
4) Contact Your Insurance
In a Florida Truck accident it is important to contact your own insurance and file claim, many people do not want to contact their own insurance because they feel they are not at fault and their insurance shouldn’t get involved. This is not true, you should begin a claim with your insurance after every accident and it is recommended that you use an attorney to do so. Your Florida personal injury truck accident lawyer can definitely help with protecting your interest and informing all insurance carries involved. After a truck accident there are two claims that may be made initially, sometimes more, but the two essential ones will be a property damage and personal injury claim. A property damage claim refers to the damage to your property, like your vehicle repair or compensation for any damaged goods. Personal injury claims are a bit more complex because they deal with injury, pain and trauma caused as a result of the collision.
It is very important that no matter what kind of accident you experience, whether a high impact or low impact crash, that you see a doctor as soon as possible. We cannot stress this enough, many people choose to wait to see a doctor because they don’t experience immediate pain due to shock and end up missing the opportunity to file certain claims by law. If you want to understand why seeing a doctor after an accident is necessary, click below here.
To learn more on coverage types, check out these two articles below. The first being about No-Fault Insurance, and the second explaining what PIP coverage entitles you to.
5) Always Work With A Truck Accident Lawyer
All accidents require attention and expertise to reach the best possible outcome. However, truck accidents add many more complexities that can arise not only during the Claims process but also during the litigation process as well. In many cases, insurance companies deny accident claims using their own process of determination through professionals that work for them. It is possible that these hired professionals are sometimes biased towards the best interest of the insurance company, which many times may be to pay as little as possible . It is important to hire someone who has your best interest in mind and is fighting for you. A Florida personal injury truck accident lawyer can represent your interests and protect you from being taken advantage of.
Your Attorney will fight to help you receive justice and to help you get the proper compensation you deserve. In some cases it is necessary to file a legal action in Court which can proceed to trial in some cases. During the trial, both sides will be able to present their theory and evidence to support their case. The plaintiff (victim) will most likely present evidence relating to his or her injuries, medical treatment (bills and records), and damages effected from the accident. Meanwhile, the defendant will also be able to present testimony and an expert witness (if desired) to prove if the plaintiff injuries and damage are worth the demands for damages.
PereGonza The Attorneys can offer a free consultation and give you insight on what the best course of action for what your specific case may be. Fill out our personal intake form for more information.
