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What Steps Should You Take in the Immediate Aftermath of a Truck Accident?
Thousands of people are injured in traffic accidents across Texas every year. Many auto accidents involve commercial vehicles like semi-trucks, delivery vehicles, buses, etc. If you are in an accident with a large commercial vehicle, you must take specific steps to safeguard your well-being and strengthen your personal injury case to seek justice and financial recovery later.
Your first concern after any motor vehicle accident should be to prevent further harm from befalling yourself, your passengers, or other motorists on the roads. If possible, attempt to move your vehicle to the side of the road, get out of the car, and move a safe distance away from oncoming traffic. Damaged motor vehicles present a hazard for other motorists and block the roadways, sometimes causing distractions that can lead to subsequent accidents.
After ensuring your safety, call 911 to summon law enforcement and paramedics to the crash scene. When the police arrive, they will investigate the accident scene, speak with the drivers involved, and compile an accident report proving valuable evidence for your personal injury claim.
If possible, attempt to speak with the other drivers involved in the crash. Request the name, commercial employer, address, phone number, and insurance policy information of any truck drivers involved. Attempt to remain polite and respectful in any conversation with other motorists, but never go so far as to diminish the severity of your personal injuries or admit fault in the accident. Anything you say, even a simple apology, could be used against your case.
While at the crash scene, take photographs and videos of anything relevant to the collision. You want photographic evidence of your injuries, the state of the vehicles involved, debris left on the road, road and weather conditions, and anything else that could be potentially relevant.
If there were any eyewitnesses to the crash, attempt to speak to them about what they saw. Eyewitness testimonies can be valuable evidence in personal injury lawsuits. Additionally, obtain their contact information so that they can be summoned to support your claims later on.
When an ambulance arrives at the scene, you must seek medical attention. Failure to get proper medical care after motor vehicle accidents could endanger your well-being and hinder your chances of recovering maximum compensation for your lawsuit.
If you have not done so already, now would be the time to contact an experienced personal injury attorney. Our truck accident lawyers have the legal knowledge necessary to assist you throughout your claims process in pursuit of justice and fair financial recovery. To learn more about the benefits of retaining our legal representation, please contact us to schedule your free initial consultation today.
Who May Be Held Liable for Your Serious Injuries in a Commercial Trucking Accident?
Truck accidents are typically more legally complicated than most other types of auto accident cases, not least of all because of the number of parties who may be held liable for injuries, financial damages, and other losses.
Depending on the particulars of your truck accident case, the following may be held liable for damages:
· Negligent truck drivers
· Commercial trucking companies
· Truck owners
· Mechanics and repair crews
· Truck manufacturers
· Cargo loading companies
· Government entities
· And more
Your truck accident attorneys will investigate the cause of the collision to determine which parties should be held responsible in a legal setting. In some truck accident cases, holding multiple parties accountable for their role in the accident may be necessary to recover the full compensation for your damages.
What is the Value of Your Personal Injury Lawsuit?
Texas has no cap on the amount of financial compensation you can receive in a commercial truck accident case. In most cases, the financial recovery you stand to recover reflects the total amount lost in the accident. However, it may be possible to recover additional economic and non-economic damages in certain circumstances.
The value of your personal injury case will be dependent on several factors, including the severity of your injuries, the inability to return to work, extensive lost wages, ongoing pain and suffering, and more. Truck accident cases typically involve higher amounts of financial compensation because of the increased economic damages necessary to cover medical bills, property damage, and other expenses. With more money on the line, these legal matters are often more complicated than most car accident cases, as insurance companies and truck companies will fight to protect their bottom line and pay out as little money as possible.
Potential economic and non-economic damages in a truck accident lawsuit may include the following:
· Past medical bills and future medical expenses, including compensation for surgical costs, hospital visits, prescription medications, and rehabilitation services
· Lost wages if forced to miss time from work, and potentially lost income-earning capacity if unable to return to the former place of employment
· Disability, disfigurement, or dismemberment compensation
· Emotional distress and mental anguish
· Chronic physical pain and suffering
· Property damage, including vehicle repairs and replacement
· lost quality or enjoyment of life
· Wrongful death damages, including lost benefits, lost future income, emotional trauma suffered by surviving family members, medical expenses incurred before death, and funeral, memorial, and burial expenses
How Long Do Truck Accident Victims Have to File Personal Injury Claims in TX?
There is a strict statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits in Texas. Failure to file a personal injury claim within the statute of limitations could result in the courts dismissing your claims and preventing you from ever recovering compensation for your injuries.
In Texas, you generally have two years from the date of the auto accident to file a claim. While two years may seem like a long time, you must act quickly, as some evidence may deteriorate or disappear. Additionally, witness testimonies fade with time, and you do not want to lose that valuable evidence.
There may be certain exceptions to the two-year rule period. To learn more, please contact our personal injury lawyers.
Schedule a Free Case Evaluation with Our Texas Truck Accident Attorneys Today
Our experienced personal injury lawyers can assist you throughout the legal process of filing a truck accident claim against the negligent parties in pursuit of a fair settlement. It is highly inadvisable to seek financial recovery without professional legal representation from knowledgeable truck accident lawyers. Commercial truck accident cases can be incredibly complicated, not least of all because of the federal regulations involved in such cases, and personal injury victims can quickly become overwhelmed by the insurance companies and lawyers representing the defense. As your legal representatives, we will explore all options to hold the at-fault parties accountable for their actions or inactions so that you can become financially whole again and move on with your life.
To learn more about the benefits of retaining our legal services, please contact our Texas law office to schedule your free consultation today. You can reach us at 737-234-8831.
