If you are a survivor of an accident involving a commercial truck, you are one of the lucky ones. Injuries and property damage from truck accidents are often catastrophic, with victims in passenger vehicles often losing their lives.
If you, your passengers, or your vehicle suffered damages in the crash, having a knowledgeable attorney can be very beneficial. An attorney can manage every aspect of your claim, from dealing with insurance companies and investigating the crash, to building a case, negotiating compensation and filing a lawsuit if necessary.
However, whenever accident victims can gather information about the crash, their injuries and damages, and the other parties involved, in can be very helpful for their attorney. We put together a list of important information you should try to collect and present to your truck accident lawyer if you are able to do so.
After reviewing the elements below, consider contacting a knowledgeable truck accident attorney at Simien & Simien to hear about your legal options. We are ready to aggressively pursue the compensation you are entitled.
Details about the Trucking Company and Driver
Truck accidents are complex personal injury cases because they often deal with multiple parties. Potential parties who may be held liable for an accident include:
The owner of the truck
The trucking company
The truck driver
The owner of the freight
The manufacturer of the truck or its parts
The party responsible for maintaining the truck
Since multiple parties can be involved, it is important to collect as much evidence as possible about the trucking company, driver and any other parties at the scene of the accident. If the damage of your injuries allows, request the following information at the scene of the accident:
The truck driver’s name, driver’s license number and contact information
The name of the truck driver’s employer and the owner of the freight
Vehicle information, including the license plate number, any Department of Transportation signage, VIN and any company names on the truck
The nature of what was being hauled
Insurance information
Details about the Truck Accident
It is important to have a good understanding about all aspects of the truck accident. Common causes of truck accidents include:
Speeding
Fatigued driving
Distracting driving
Driving for too many consecutive hours
Impaired driving
Reckless driving
Failing to yield
Improper lane changes
Failing to secure the load
If you think any of these factors contributed to your accident, be sure to mention it to your lawyer. You should also inform your lawyer of how the accident occurred and present a copy of the police report so that they have all the details of the accident. The police report may indicate how the accident occurred or will give details on citations that may have been issued.
If other cars were involved, let your attorney know this information, too. If you are able, take pictures at the accident scene and give your lawyer copies of them. Important things to photograph include:
Damage to your vehicle
Damage to the truck
Any debris in the roadway
Any other evidence regarding road conditions or traffic signals
Your injuries as they progress
If there were any witnesses, be sure to get their contact information and supply this information to your attorney.
If you had any contact with your own insurance company or the defendant’s insurance company, tell your lawyer about these conversations. Your lawyer can handle communications in the future, which may be very beneficial to you – accident victims often unknowingly give out important details that may hurt their case. Also, let your lawyer know about any comments that the truck driver made that may explain how the accident occurred.
Medical Records
Provide your lawyer with all medical records and bills that are related to the accident. Let your lawyer know about your immediate diagnosis and the medical treatment you have received so far. If you have written reports from doctors that explain what care you will likely need in the future, provide this information to your lawyer as well. Also, describe the activities that you cannot do because of your injuries.
Details of Your Vehicle in the Aftermath of the Accident
Provide your lawyer with the following information about your vehicle:
Its year, make and model
The working condition of the vehicle
The nature of the property damage you sustained
Photos of the damage
Estimates to repair or replace the vehicle
Personal and Financial Details
Your lawyer will need additional information, such as if you have been in any previous accidents, had a pre-existing injury and your insurance company. Additionally, he or she will need information about your current employment, salary and wages, and the amount of time you missed from work.
Contact Simien & Simien for a Free Legal Consultation
If you were injured in a truck accident, it is important to talk to an experienced truck accident lawyer. Our legal team at Simien & Simien has helped many people like you collect compensation after being injured by the negligence of others.
In a consultation, we can discuss whether you have a valid claim and what it may be worth. Your consultation is always free, and you pay nothing unless we win favorable compensation for your case.
Fill out our Online Form right now or reach us by phone at (800) 374-8422.
