Accidents involving commercial trucks or semi-trucks can be devastating. These massive commercial vehicles, from delivery trucks to 18-wheelers,carry enough weight to cause catastrophic injuries, extensive property damage, and even wrongful death in seemingly minor crashes.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a semi-truck accident, you’re likely facing serious concerns: medical care, insurance policy complications, lost wages, and emotional distress. Knowing what steps to take immediately after such a crash can make all the difference in your truck accident claim and future recovery.
Below is a comprehensive guide covering every step accident victims should take after being hit by a commercial truck driver.
1. Prioritize Safety and Seek Medical Attention
Your first priority is medical attention. Move to safety if possible and call 911 to report the accident scene and request help. If anyone is injured, emergency responders can assess and treat critical injuries like spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, or internal injuries.
Even if you feel fine, seek immediate medical care. Conditions like head injuries or internal bleeding may not be visible but can worsen over time. Prompt care also creates documentation for your personal injury claim.
2. Call the Police and File an Accident Report
Always involve the police in a semi-truck accident case. Officers will create an accident report including:
- Witness and driver statements
- Observations about road conditions and vehicle damage
- Noted violations of traffic laws or federal regulations
This report serves as a crucial piece of evidence in your case and helps establish fault and support a fair settlement.
3. Collect Evidence at the Entire Accident Scene
If it’s safe, gather photos and documentation at the entire accident scene, including:
- Skid marks, damaged vehicles, and severe damage to both passenger vehicles and trucks
- License plates and trucking company logos
- Witness contact info
- Visible injuries
Also, gather insurance details from the commercial driver, but do not admit fault or speculate on what caused the crash.
4. Do Not Admit Fault or Sign Anything
Avoid discussing the crash with the truck driver, their insurance carrier, or company reps. Even offhand comments can be twisted. Trucking companies often deploy legal teams immediately to limit liability.
Don’t sign any documents or provide statements to an insurance adjuster or insurance provider without legal advice.
5. Identify All Liable Parties
A semi-truck driver may not be the only one responsible. Other liable parties might include:
- The trucking company
- The negligent party responsible for loading cargo
- A mechanic or parts manufacturer (e.g., in a brake issue)
- A third-party logistics provider
These responsible parties may share fault under liability laws, and holding them accountable can increase your compensation.
6. Understand What Causes Trucking Accidents
Determining cause is key to proving liability. Common causes of semi-truck crashes include:
- Distracted driving or driver error
- Reckless driving or speeding
- Driving under the influence of alcohol
- Overloaded cargo
- Poor maintenance or defective brakes
- Violation of federal regulations like hours-of-service
A legal investigative team will often use driver logs, GPS data, and maintenance records to uncover the truth.
7. Notify Your Insurance and Be Cautious with the Other Side
Inform your own insurance carrier quickly. Stick to facts,and opinions, emotional statements, or assigning blame.
If contacted by the trucking company’s insurance adjuster, politely decline to speak until you’ve consulted a personal injury lawyer or truck accident attorney.
8. Keep Detailed Records of Medical and Financial Impact
Track everything related to your personal injuries, recovery, and costs:
- Medical visits, prescriptions, and treatment plans
- Missed work and lost wages
- Therapy or rehab sessions
- A daily journal of pain and emotional distress
These details can help quantify both economic and non-economic damages.
9. Be Mindful of the Time Limit to File
In South Carolina, personal injury claims,including truck crashes,are subject to a statute of limitations. You typically have three years from the crash date to file.
But don’t wait. Crucial evidence can disappear, and some trucking companies purge data like dashcam footage or driver logs within months. Protect your truck accident claim early.
10. Know the Types of Damages You May Claim
You may be entitled to recover compensation for:
- Medical bills (current and future)
- Property damage
- Lost income and earning potential
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Permanent disability
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Wrongful death (for families of deceased truck accident victims)
Recovering full compensation depends on your documentation, the policy limits, and identifying all responsible parties.
11. Why You Need a Personal Injury Attorney
Trucking accidents are highly complex. You’re facing experienced legal teams, deep-pocketed insurers, and corporations skilled at dodging accountability. A skilled personal injury attorney or experienced truck accident attorney will:
- Investigate and reconstruct the crash
- Identify every liable party
- Maximize recovery under applicable liability policies
- Deal with insurers
- Prepare and file a lawsuit if needed
12. What Makes Truck Accidents Different from Car Accidents?
Truck accidents are far more complex due to:
- Federal regulations governing hours of service and safety standards
- Greater risk of severe injuries
- Larger insurance policies (and more resistance from insurers)
- Corporate team of attorneys representing trucking companies
That’s why these aren’t just “bigger car accidents”,they require a legal team that understands how to win semi-truck accident cases.
The Next Step: Let Ted Law Firm Help You
If you or a loved one has suffered from a commercial truck accident, don’t navigate the aftermath alone. The sooner you act, the better your chances of a successful insurance claim and full compensation.
Injured in a Semi-Truck Accident? Call Ted Law Firm Today
Our team of experienced personal injury lawyers is ready to fight for your rights. We know how to take on trucking companies, insurance giants, and negligent parties,and win. Trust Ted Law Firm to guide you through life’s most difficult times. We proudly represent injured drivers and their families in Aiken, Anderson, Charleston, Greenville, Columbia and Myrtle Beach. advocating for accident victims across South Carolina and Georgia. When a devastating crash turns your world upside down, you can count on Ted Law Firm to stand by your side and provide the trusted legal support you deserve.
