First Steps After a Truck Accident

After surviving a truck accident, a victim may be traumatized and disoriented. There are many problems to deal with such as getting medical assistance with injuries, repairing damage to one’s vehicle, working with insurance companies, and many steps to take. Getting legal advice from an Irvine truck accident attorney right away is an essential first step after a truck accident to getting justice.

Crucial Steps a Person Should Take

Here are some things a person should do immediately that will help them later:

  • The first step a person should take after a truck accident in Irvine is to contact the police. An official accident report will be an extremely useful piece of evidence later in the process. It is crucial even if the damage to their car seems minimal
  • Someone should get the names, addresses and phone numbers of any witnesses to the accident. This can be extremely valuable. Other important information includes the truck driver’s name, the trucking company’s name, and the insurance company information.
  • Writing down impressions of what happened right away, before memory starts to fade is another important step. Did the truck driver change lanes without signaling? Were they speeding? Determining causes and impressions will be important. It is important to keep this document absolutely private
  • If possible, someone should take photographs of the accident scene, including the final resting position of the vehicles and the exact location of the damage to the vehicles themselves
  • A person should take a thorough medical examination as soon as they can. Not all injuries are apparent right away. A person or their loved ones may have suffered damage that will only become evident weeks or months in the future. If they do not get medical attention, that fact may be used against them later by the trucking company’s lawyers
  • Someone should get in touch with their insurance company immediately and tell them what happened. This is another official report that will be important in making their case in court, if it comes to that
  • A person should not reveal anything more than necessary to the other side’s insurance company. If they have a conversation with the trucking company’s insurer or lawyers, they should keep all answers as brief as possible. Remember that they do not have to talk to anyone they do not want to talk to
  • They should contact a lawyer who has experience handling truck accident cases, and knows how to handle their claim in such a manner as to maximize their compensation for the harm they have suffered due to the truck driver’s negligence
  • Someone should tell their lawyer about all the different kinds of damages they have suffered – not just obvious ones like medical costs, but also any lost income due to the accident and any psychological trauma they have suffered

How an Accident Lawyer Can Help

Truck drivers are supposed to be well-trained to follow all safety regulations and rules of the road. If the accident was the result of the trucker’s negligence, the victim can obtain damages from the employer. However, trucking companies typically have a team of high-priced lawyers on retainer who are adept at blocking the attempts by victims to get justice. As such, it is vital to take these first steps after a truck accident to obtain proper justice and compensation.

Contacting an Irvine Truck Accident Lawyer

You should not have to take on this adversary alone – and you do not. A skilled Irvine truck accident lawyer is ready to go to work for you right away. They will listen to your story with great care, and then begin the process of gathering the evidence they will need to make the strongest possible case for you.

Whatever your situation, Irvine truck accident lawyers can help. They will use all the evidence to make the strongest possible case on your behalf. Do not let another day go by without getting the advice that you need.