What to Do in Case of a Truck Accident in Arlington Texas?
Being involved in a car accident is devastating, but the outcome can be worse if it involves a truck. Truck accidents cause so much damage and devastation due to their speed and weight. Navigating the necessary legal processes for getting compensated when dealing with different types of injuries can be challenging, which is why you should hire a truck accident lawyer to help you.
If you have been involved in a truck accident in Texas, there are specific measures you should take to ensure the best outcome. So, how do you deal with a truck accident in Arlington TX?
Get Medical Help
The most important thing you should do following a truck accident is to get medical help. If you can, call emergency services and you should have medical personnel on site after a few minutes. They will give you a physical assessment and treat any superficial injuries or bruises they see.
No matter how well you feel, you must go to a hospital following an accident. You should do this even if you do not have any pain for two main reasons. The first is that the adrenaline rush you experience following an accident masks pain so you might think you are fine when in fact you are not. Second, it is difficult to assess internal injuries, including internal bleeding, at an accident site.
A doctor will do a much more thorough checkup and tests to treat all underlying issues. They will also create documentation that your truck accident injury lawyer can use when they file a lawsuit or negotiate a settlement.
Contact the Authorities
Once you are out of the vehicle and have moved to a safer area, you should contact the authorities immediately. Texas law requires that anyone involved in an accident that leads to fatalities, injuries, or property damage contact the local sheriff’s office or police department.
Doing this is just one of the requirements following an accident. You are also required to exchange insurance information with the other driver. They must tell you their name and show you their license or a copy of it, and you must do the same.
Gather Evidence
You can either gather evidence yourself or have someone do it for you if you are transported to the hospital immediately following a truck accident. The evidence you gather will be crucial during your initial consultation with truck accident lawyers Arlington TX.
They will use it to determine how strong your case is, what additional evidence they need to gather, if they need to conduct an in-depth investigation, and the potential value of your case.
Remember that investigating accidents becomes increasingly harder as time goes on, so you have limited time to gather all the evidence you need. Start by taking photographs and video of the scene. Capture the final stopping point of all vehicles. If they exist, also capture any skid marks on the road because they can help prove speeding.
Next, speak to as many witnesses as possible. Doing this at the scene eliminates the need to find them later. It also helps you avoid issues associated with fading memories; people tend to forget details easily, especially if they were not directly involved in the incident.
Move Your Vehicle to a Safe Area
Once you have gathered enough evidence, Texas law requires that you move your vehicle to a safe place. This allows for the resumption of normal traffic flow and reduces the possibility of another accident.
However, the law allows you to leave your vehicle where it is if you cannot move it safely or without putting yourself at risk. Let the law enforcement officers at the scene know about this so it does not become an issue for you later.
Some accidents damage the vehicle so much that it becomes inoperable. The law does not require you to move such a vehicle, but it is a good idea to pull it to the side of the road and leave it there if the police need to look at it further.
Hire an Attorney
You can hire Texas truck accident lawyers at any time, but you should do so as soon as you can following an accident if you do not have one already. Start with a search for a truck accident lawyer near me. Once you find a few law firms, visit their websites to see if they have handled cases similar to yours in the past. Their websites should also give you additional information on their experience, past cases and their outcomes, and who will be working on your case.
You should also find out how to set an appointment or contact them for an initial consultation. These initial meetings provide an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the attorneys and their law firm and to explain your case.
In some cases, you may find you have a different case than you thought. A personal injury or truck accident case can turn into a wrongful death case if your loved one passes away following an accident. If this happens, the lawyers you contact will direct you to wrongful death lawyers who will be better suited to handling your case.
Inform Your Insurance Agency
You can talk to your insurance agency before or after contacting truck accident attorneys Arlington Texas, but you should do it at the earliest opportunity. Your insurance policy likely already requires that you do this. Many people also assume they are not required to do this if they are not filing a claim. It is better to notify the company than find out you missed a line in the fine print and should have let them know.
The insurance company may refuse to investigate or honor your claim if you do not do this. At the extreme end, they may cancel your policy.
File a Lawsuit
Your truck accident lawyer will help you find out who is liable for the accident so you can sue the right party. They will also negotiate a favorable settlement if required or argue your case in Texas court if the relevant parties do not agree to a settlement.
Getting involved in a truck accident can be devastating since it can cause injuries and fatalities. You have the right to seek compensation, but you should only do this with the help of an attorney. They will help you navigate different legal hurdles, negotiate on your behalf, and even help you gather evidence to help strengthen your case.
