Semitruck crashes are frightening events. When you are involved in one of these accidents, you need to make sure that you take appropriate action.
In the heat of the moment after the 18-wheeler crash, fear, uncertainty and stress might set in. Having a plan for handling this situation might help you to deal with it better.
Contact the police
Big rig accidents need to be reported to the police. Even if you don’t think that you are injured, you still need to make a report. You never know what injuries might show up later. It might be a good idea to ask for paramedics to come out for an evaluation, even if you aren’t obviously injured.
Choose your words carefully
You must be careful of what you say after the accident. The statements that you make can have an impact on the finding of the accident investigation.
Don’t say anything that could be determined to be an admission of fault. Even saying that you didn’t see the other vehicle or that you are sorry could be mistaken as you claiming fault for the crash. Even though you need to choose your words carefully, you must ensure your statements are factual.
Many factors are used to determine who is at fault for the crash. These include what happened in the time leading up to the crash and what occurred at the time of the accident. The trucker might have been distracted, fatigued or driving in an unsafe manner.
Seek medical care
In the days after the crash, you might feel sore. Some injuries, such as brain injuries or whiplash, might not be evident for a few days after the accident. It is a good idea to have your doctor give you a once-over just to make sure you are faring well after the crash.
If you did suffer obvious injuries, you may need to head to the emergency room or an urgent care center. Make sure that you attend any follow up appointments and work to make health care decisions you feel are in your best interests.
File your claims
You should contact the appropriate insurance companies to file your claims. This might be all you need to do. If the damages of the crash were more than the insurance will cover, you might need to seek compensation through a civil lawsuit.
Think about the cost of any medical care you need, even if you haven’t had it yet. You also need to think about missed wages and other expenses you have incurred. These costs combined would be the amount of damages you’ve sustained.