Big rig truck accidents can cause those involved to sustain significant injuries that could change their lives. If this happened to you, you could seek compensation from the person who caused the accident. Taking the right steps after an accident can help to strengthen your case. However, some people make common mistakes after a big rig truck accident, such as failing to receive medical care, accepting the first settlement offer, and not getting an attorney.
A truck accident lawyer can guide you through the claims process so you avoid making these mistakes. They can also support you and offer valuable advice. With a legal representative who understands truck accident law on your side, you could have a better chance at recovering compensation.
Mistakes That People Make After Big Rig Truck Accidents
Making mistakes after a big rig truck accident could cost you in the long run. Hiring an attorney can help you avoid these mistakes, so you have the strongest possible case when you begin settlement negotiations.
For a free legal consultation, call 877-239-4878
Failing to Receive Medical Care
One of the most important steps you can take after a big rig truck accident is to seek medical care. Actively seeking medical attention can provide benefits to your case that you might not even think of. Some potential benefits of seeking medical care immediately after a big rig truck accident include the following:
- Proving that you sustained the injuries in the accident – In some cases, the liable party may dispute that your injuries occurred during the accident. They could claim that you sustained injuries in another incident and now want to receive compensation through the accident claim. By seeking treatment from medical providers on the scene, they can verify that you just sustained your injuries.
- Receiving documentation regarding the extent of your injuries – The extent of your injuries often plays a huge role in how much compensation you can seek for your losses. If you have minor injuries, you might not require as much medical treatment and therefore will have a lower amount of losses. If you have more severe injuries, you could incur more losses. A medical provider can provide proof of the extent of your injuries.
- Healing your injuries faster with proper medical treatment – If you receive proper treatment soon after the accident, your injuries can begin to heal correctly. Seeking treatment shows the other party that you have done everything you can to heal your injuries and prevent further losses.
By not seeking medical care as soon as you can, you could decrease the strength of your case.
Accepting the First Settlement Offer From the Insurance Company
The at-fault party’s insurance company may contact you soon after the accident to make an offer. In most cases, the insurance company’s initial offer is far less than what you deserve. Therefore, you should never accept their initial offer, especially if you or a loved one sustained injuries.
Before accepting any settlement, you need to determine the value of the losses you sustained because of the accident. By identifying your losses and gathering evidence that proves you sustained those losses, you could increase the value of your case.
Examples of damages that you could potentially recover compensation for include:
- Medical expenses: These may include emergency care, ambulance transportation, hospitalization, surgeries, diagnostic tests, doctor appointments, or prescription medications. You could also seek compensation for future medical expenses if your injuries require long-term treatment.
- Lost income: These are losses that you incur if you can’t work during your recovery. If you can no longer work in the same capacity (or at all), you could also seek compensation for future income losses. An attorney can collect evidence to prove your current and future income losses, including wages, bonuses, and benefits.
- Non-monetary losses: You could also seek compensation for non-monetary losses, such as pain and suffering or emotional distress. If you suffered injuries in a big rig accident, you have likely endured some level of pain during your recovery. You have the opportunity to seek compensation for these losses through your claim.
Hiring an attorney to manage this process can help you tremendously. Attorneys know how to collect evidence to prove you sustained these losses, even non-monetary losses. Armed with this information, they can negotiate for you to receive fair compensation from the at-fault party.
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Failing to Hire a Big Rig Truck Accident Attorney
A huge mistake that people make after a big rig truck accident is failing to hire an attorney. Truck accident attorneys not only offer support and legal advice throughout the process, but they handle all communications and other legal matters—allowing you the time you need to heal.
The steps that a truck accident attorney can take on your behalf include the following:
- Investigating the accident by reviewing the police report and any evidence collected at the scene
- Speaking to witnesses to get their testimony about what happened
- Identifying your losses and calculating their value to understand how much compensation to seek in your case
- Contacting the insurance company to demand the compensation you deserve
- Negotiating with the insurance company to reach a fair settlement agreement
It’s important to seek help from an attorney soon so you do not miss your state’s statute of limitations deadline.
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Contact a Big Rig Truck Accident Attorney Today
It’s easy to make mistakes after a big rig truck accident when you don’t understand the process of filing a claim. An attorney can help you navigate the process correctly so you don’t miss any important steps. When you hire an attorney, they can ensure that you take the right steps to maximize the value of your case.
Don’t make mistakes after a big rig truck accident—instead, contact a truck accident attorney at Loncar Lyon Jenkins. We have handled many truck accident cases and helped past clients reach successful outcomes. Our attorneys can get to work immediately on your case when you choose to hire our firm.
Call or text 877-239-4878 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
