Surviving a truck accident in Brooksville can be traumatic, to say the least. While you’re grateful and glad that you escaped death, you shouldn’t just act carelessly. There are certain things you need to do to ensure your complete safety and secure fair compensation.
Yes, you need to think about it, or else you’ll end up paying for the damage yourself. The fact that Brooksville is settled among captivating, rolling hills means that accidents can occur if the truckers aren’t careful and other drivers fail to pay attention to their blind spots.
A Brooksville truck accident lawyer can help you get the compensation you deserve. However, if you are responsible for the accident, you can’t get compensation.
As we said, there are certain things you need to do after a truck accident. In this article, we’ll share some important tips and warnings that will help you process this incident and get over the trauma. Let’s get to it.
Check for Injuries
This should be a no-brainer; always check if you’re injured. You need to examine everyone in the vehicle. If you notice any injuries, you should call 911 at once. You can click here to learn about the origin and history of 911. If any of you experienced any hard impacts, it’s still recommended that you get a doctor to examine you immediately. Internal injuries might not be apparent until later.
Move to a Safe Area
After confirming that you aren’t injured, you need to move to a safe area. Ensure that you’re not obstructing traffic. This will ensure you stay safe and don’t cause further accidents. If your vehicle is so damaged that it won’t move, turn on the hazard lights. Doing this will enhance visibility and prevent collisions with oncoming vehicles.
Report the Accident to the Police
Ensure you contact the police to report what just happened. This should be done whether or not there were injuries or causalities. Doing this will ensure that the accident is well documented. The police report can be used as information sources but not as proper evidence when securing your compensation later on. You can read this article to understand the admissibility of police reports in court.
Gather Information
Now that the police are on their way, the next thing is to gather as much information as possible. You need to get the name, license plate number, contact information, insurance information, and employer name of the truck driver. Get the contact information of witnesses as well.
Capture Pictures
These days, you can easily collect evidence of an accident by simply taking pictures of the crash with your smartphone. Take pictures of the damages to the vehicles, visible injuries, the accident scene, etc. All these will be useful when you pursue legal action or file your insurance claim.
Don’t Admit Fault
This is one mistake people make after an accident. Don’t admit fault or apologize, even if you are indeed at fault. When you admit fault, opposing lawyers can use this against you during legal proceedings.
Make an Insurance Claim
Ensure that you reach out to your insurance company immediately when you have the opportunity. You need to report what happened and also share the information you’ve gathered. This will ensure you get your insurance compensation.
Get Legal Representation
In case of an injury, you need to seek legal representation, as we mentioned earlier. An experienced injury lawyer can guide you through the complex legal processes and insurance challenges that you might face. They’ll ensure that no one tampers with your rights.
Don’t Sign Anything
Sometimes the at-fault party will try to settle the matter quickly by requesting that you sign a settlement offer. You shouldn’t do so without the advice of your legal representative. You might end up settling for less than what’s due.
