A commercial vehicle crash happens in seconds. What occurs in the aftermath can have consequences that last much longer. Knowing what to do after a truck accident can go a long way toward protecting your health and legal right to seek compensation in North Carolina. Here’s what you need to know.
Prioritize Safety and Document the Scene
Here are the steps to take after a truck accident if your physical condition allows:
- Call 911 to report the crash.
- Exchange names and insurance information with the truck driver and any drivers of the vehicles involved in the wreck.
- Take photos and videos of the accident scene, vehicle damage, skid marks, and any visible injuries.
- Get the names and contact details of any eyewitnesses.
- When law enforcement officers arrive, only share basic facts about the truck accident. Don’t guess about fault or minimize your injuries. Comments that seem harmless can be taken out of context by the insurance company.
- Seek medical attention and follow the doctor’s treatment recommendations. Attend all follow-up appointments.
- Contact a North Carolina truck accident lawyer as soon as possible to review your legal options.
Protect Your Truck Accident Claim
Commercial truck accident cases involve complex evidence that may disappear or be destroyed if you don’t take steps to preserve it.
To protect your claim, your attorney can send a spoliation of evidence letter to the trucking company and other relevant parties. Also called a preservation letter, this notice instructs the truck company and its insurer to keep any documentation or information that may apply to your case.
Depending on the circumstances, that evidence may include truck driver logs, electronic logging device data, onboard computer information, maintenance records, inspection reports, dispatch records, dashcam footage, and the truck itself.
You can help protect your claim by keeping any medical bills, medical records, repair estimates, photographs, correspondence with insurers, the police report, and other documentation connected to the collision or your injuries. Preserve damaged personal property that could later help document the force of the crash or the extent of your truck accident injuries.
Some actions that may seem normal or inconsequential after a commercial truck crash could make it harder to recover compensation.
Common mistakes that accident victims make include:
- Giving a recorded statement to an insurance adjuster
- Signing a medical authorization or settlement document without a lawyer’s review
- Posting photos, comments, or updates about the truck accident or your injuries on social media
- Missing medical appointments or failing to follow prescribed treatment plans
- Repairing or disposing of damaged property before it’s been documented
- Waiting too long to speak with a truck accident attorney, especially when important evidence may still be available
Contact a North Carolina Truck Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, the attorneys at Kornbluth Ginsberg Law Group, P.A. are here to help.
Our Durham office represents truck accident victims throughout Durham and the surrounding Triangle region, while our Sanford office provides Sanford and surrounding communities with convenient access to experienced personal injury attorneys.
We also represent injury victims throughout North Carolina. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your truck accident case and learn how we can help.
