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What You Need to Do If You Were a Victim of a Truck Accident

There were nearly 5,000 fatal crashes involving trucks in 2017 alone. This number paints a pretty clear picture: truck accidents, when they happen, are dangerous and deadly.

Not only can it be dangerous to the body, but it can be traumatic on the mind. Confusion and feelings of disorientation are to be expected after an accident with one of these massive hunks of steel. However, the time after an accident is vital to the success of any future legal actions you might take, or any compensation you might seek.

The steps you take immediately following an accident can make the difference between a smooth legal process and an infuriating one. By following the steps outlined below, you will avoid any legal pitfalls that come your way and receive the compensation you are owed.

As well, getting the help of legal professionals in Los Angeles will help you immensely. A California Truck Accident Attorney will give you the legal guidance you need.

Step 1:  Go to a Doctor

What You Need to Do If You Were a Victim of a Truck Accident

First and foremost, you should make a visit to the doctor’s office after an accident with a truck.

As stated above, an accident with a truck can be incredibly dangerous. Seeing the doctor becomes both warranted and necessary. You shouldn’t delay seeing the doctor after a truck accident. For one, a lot of post-accident injuries will take some time before their full symptoms manifest.

Things like whiplash will worsen as time passes after an accident. Nipping your injuries in the bud early will prevent any lingering aches and pains, things one simply doesn’t need in their everyday life. As well, getting clear documentation of any injuries you sustained in your accident will do wonders for any legal action you might embark on. Your legal team will be working to prove that the accident you involved in caused your accident. One can’t beat the status of an official medical diagnosis.

Step 2: Get in Touch with Law Enforcement

Unless you are critically injured in your accident, you should contact the authorities as soon as possible following an accident.

If your accident is bad enough and occurs in a public space, onlookers might call law enforcement for you. Once they arrive, a police officer will make a report of the accident, making a record of the most pertinent information.

Like the doctor’s visit, having official documentation of the truck accident is vital to you getting the compensation you are owed.

Step 3: Take Photos

Any documentation of your accident will help your case immensely.

It’s a good thing, then, that most everyone out in the world has a phone capable of taking high-definition photographs. If you can, take as many pictures as you can following your accident. Thoroughly document the state of your own car, as well as that of the truck.

Get multiple angles, the key details, and how the vehicles appear immediately following the accident. Photograph the surrounding area as well, so you can make recalling the accident as easy as possible. Not only will all of these photographs help convince a jury that you are owed the compensation you seek, but it will help keep the details of the accident sharp and vivid in your head as time goes on.

You will need to talk to both your insurance company as well as the company representing the other driver involved in the other accident. Speaking to an insurance adjuster as clearly as you can, with the accident’s details in your mind fresh, will help your case immensely. In this way, your photographs will keep the details of the accident sharp in your mind.

Step 4: Gather Information

Getting as much information as you can following an accident is vital. Your goal is to help make your seeking of compensation as smooth as possible.

So, make sure that you get as much information about the driver of the truck as you can. Exchange with them the typical information one exchanges after an accident of any kind. Get the driver’s full name and contact number. Get their license plate and driver’s license number, as well as their insurance information. While less likely, if there were any witnesses to your accident, you should get their information as well.

Again, the goal of any legal proceedings you undertake is to illustrate a clear picture of your accident and what caused it. Getting the first-hand account of a totally unbiased witness will help your case like no other. So, if a witness is present, exchange information with them as well. Get their full name and contact information, should you need their testimonial later down the line.

Step 5: Don’t Touch Your Vehicle

A common mistake after an automobile accident is moving your vehicle from where it ended up. This is definitely the case for truck accidents as well.

Moving your vehicle from where it ended up after an automobile accident will obscure the details of the accident. In doing so, whose fault the accident was might become unclear. In a worst-case scenario, should the driver of the truck feel malicious, they could attempt to claim the accident was your fault. Your best course of action is to leave your car in the original position it ended up in after the truck accident.

If your car does need to be moved, perhaps if it’s blocking the road at all, it will be done so after the accident is thoroughly documented by you and the authorities.

Step 6: Hire a Truck Accident Attorney

The aftermath of an accident is complicated. A truck accident is no different.

At the end of the day, the most important thing you can do for yourself is to contact an experienced Los Angeles law group after a truck accident. The Law Group of Tawni Takagi has years of experience handling accidents just like yours. We know exactly what it takes to get your truck accident case on track.

Contact us at (310) 954-7248 today. Our Los Angeles truck accident attorneys will help you get the compensation you are owed.

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fast settlements / speak to a lawyer today / free phone consultation

What You Need to Do If You Were a Victim of a Truck Accident

There were nearly 5,000 fatal crashes involving trucks in 2017 alone. This number paints a pretty clear picture: truck accidents, when they happen, are dangerous and deadly.

Not only can it be dangerous to the body, but it can be traumatic on the mind. Confusion and feelings of disorientation are to be expected after an accident with one of these massive hunks of steel. However, the time after an accident is vital to the success of any future legal actions you might take, or any compensation you might seek.

The steps you take immediately following an accident can make the difference between a smooth legal process and an infuriating one. By following the steps outlined below, you will avoid any legal pitfalls that come your way and receive the compensation you are owed.

As well, getting the help of legal professionals in Los Angeles will help you immensely. A California Truck Accident Attorney will give you the legal guidance you need.

Step 1:  Go to a Doctor

What You Need to Do If You Were a Victim of a Truck Accident

First and foremost, you should make a visit to the doctor’s office after an accident with a truck.

As stated above, an accident with a truck can be incredibly dangerous. Seeing the doctor becomes both warranted and necessary. You shouldn’t delay seeing the doctor after a truck accident. For one, a lot of post-accident injuries will take some time before their full symptoms manifest.

Things like whiplash will worsen as time passes after an accident. Nipping your injuries in the bud early will prevent any lingering aches and pains, things one simply doesn’t need in their everyday life. As well, getting clear documentation of any injuries you sustained in your accident will do wonders for any legal action you might embark on. Your legal team will be working to prove that the accident you involved in caused your accident. One can’t beat the status of an official medical diagnosis.

Step 2: Get in Touch with Law Enforcement

Unless you are critically injured in your accident, you should contact the authorities as soon as possible following an accident.

If your accident is bad enough and occurs in a public space, onlookers might call law enforcement for you. Once they arrive, a police officer will make a report of the accident, making a record of the most pertinent information.

Like the doctor’s visit, having official documentation of the truck accident is vital to you getting the compensation you are owed.

Step 3: Take Photos

Any documentation of your accident will help your case immensely.

It’s a good thing, then, that most everyone out in the world has a phone capable of taking high-definition photographs. If you can, take as many pictures as you can following your accident. Thoroughly document the state of your own car, as well as that of the truck.

Get multiple angles, the key details, and how the vehicles appear immediately following the accident. Photograph the surrounding area as well, so you can make recalling the accident as easy as possible. Not only will all of these photographs help convince a jury that you are owed the compensation you seek, but it will help keep the details of the accident sharp and vivid in your head as time goes on.

You will need to talk to both your insurance company as well as the company representing the other driver involved in the other accident. Speaking to an insurance adjuster as clearly as you can, with the accident’s details in your mind fresh, will help your case immensely. In this way, your photographs will keep the details of the accident sharp in your mind.

Step 4: Gather Information

Getting as much information as you can following an accident is vital. Your goal is to help make your seeking of compensation as smooth as possible.

So, make sure that you get as much information about the driver of the truck as you can. Exchange with them the typical information one exchanges after an accident of any kind. Get the driver’s full name and contact number. Get their license plate and driver’s license number, as well as their insurance information. While less likely, if there were any witnesses to your accident, you should get their information as well.

Again, the goal of any legal proceedings you undertake is to illustrate a clear picture of your accident and what caused it. Getting the first-hand account of a totally unbiased witness will help your case like no other. So, if a witness is present, exchange information with them as well. Get their full name and contact information, should you need their testimonial later down the line.

Step 5: Don’t Touch Your Vehicle

A common mistake after an automobile accident is moving your vehicle from where it ended up. This is definitely the case for truck accidents as well.

Moving your vehicle from where it ended up after an automobile accident will obscure the details of the accident. In doing so, whose fault the accident was might become unclear. In a worst-case scenario, should the driver of the truck feel malicious, they could attempt to claim the accident was your fault. Your best course of action is to leave your car in the original position it ended up in after the truck accident.

If your car does need to be moved, perhaps if it’s blocking the road at all, it will be done so after the accident is thoroughly documented by you and the authorities.

Step 6: Hire a Truck Accident Attorney

The aftermath of an accident is complicated. A truck accident is no different.

At the end of the day, the most important thing you can do for yourself is to contact an experienced Los Angeles law group after a truck accident. The Law Group of Tawni Takagi has years of experience handling accidents just like yours. We know exactly what it takes to get your truck accident case on track.

Contact us at (310) 954-7248 today. Our Los Angeles truck accident attorneys will help you get the compensation you are owed.


Note for the readers: This post has been derived from the use of secondary sources and the information provided has not been independently confirmed. The photos depicted in these posts are not representative of the actual accident.  Any inaccuracies will be swiftly corrected once they have been brought to the site’s attention and all requests to remove posts will be honored.

Disclaimer: This post is intended to provide general information to our readers and to honor the victims of everyday tragedies. We do not wish to cause any disrespect and none of the information contained in this post should be construed to constitute legal or medical advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and cases often turn on minor differences In fact. Do not rely exclusively on any of the information contained in this post and seek further assistance from a legal or medical professional, where necessary.

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