No truck accident is easy. It takes a toll physically and psychologically. You may not be clear on what to do right after a crash, confusion, and shock may set in, but what should remain obvious is the need to get medical help. As long as you’re conscious, no matter if you feel completely fine, consult a physician. All injuries don’t present immediately after the incident. Without any medical documentation on the day of, you could be placing yourself in danger, and forfeiting your claims to financial compensation.
Reasons For Heavy Vehicle Crashes
These are quite similar to the reasons car crashes occur.
- A seatbelt may not have been worn
- Speeding on many occasions is a culprit, especially on wet or icy roads
- Maintenance on the vehicle could have been negligently performed
More specific to the trucking industry,
- Load and height specifications could have been ignored in order to carry more product on a single trip
For all of these reasons, the truck driver and all others involved in the manufacturing and maintenance of the truck should be held accountable.
Call Your Lawyer
Truck accidents are much more dangerous than ordinary car crashes. This is so because the vehicle is weightier, therefore the impact will be harder, and the damage will be greater. The threat of loss of life is also increased. If you’re involved in an accident in the city of St. Louis that was not caused by you, then one of the first things you should do is contact a truck accident attorney in St Louis to discuss the way forward. The lawyers explain that because more parties can be directly and indirectly held at fault for the accident, representation needs to be more forceful to meet the complexity of the case.
Depending on the severity of the crash, you may be entitled to treatment and rehabilitation costs, home care, pain and suffering, and lost wages. The attorneys caution that battling this out on your own will not work in your favor, as the trucking company and all involved will take advantage of an unknowing and unsuspecting individual.
Call The Police
Just like you require medical help and legal help, you also need the law on your side. There is no shot of you winning a claim without a police report taken on the scene, or at least on the day of the incident. This is a vital piece of documentation that your lawyer will urge you to get and ask to see. Besides talking to the other driver or drivers involved in the accident to get their personal and insurance information as it pertains, and to eyewitnesses to hear their takes on what they observed, the only other person to speak to is the officer. Getting too chatty about who is at fault could result in you shooting yourself in the foot. Even worse if something you said is misconstrued as the admittance of guilt.
In your emotional state, the best course of action is to remain silent and await the police. Be sure to get the name of the officer who takes your statement. In the event there is any misplacing of this document or any other unexpected occurrence, you can pinpoint exactly who it is you spoke to.
Consult A Psychologist Or Therapist
The stress and the mental impact of the truck accident can remain with you long after the ordeal has passed. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a real possibility after a severe accident. If you’re unsure what that looks like, here are some examples.
- Ongoing uneasiness
- Anxiety about getting back behind the wheel or even in the passenger’s seat
- Difficulty sleeping
- Automatic flashbacks to the accident
Should you suffer from any of these, rapidly book an appointment with a psychologist. You will require professional help to combat these symptoms. If you feel comfortable doing so, confide in a friend, but still pursue a psychological assessment and evaluation. The journey to recovery could be a difficult one, but it is not an impossible task. While you work on your mental health, your attorneys will be working to secure all of the compensation you deserve.
It may be difficult, but it is advisable to act swiftly once you are conscious and able to do so. Call on the police department, who will then call upon the ambulance service. You could also make that call separately. Do not refuse medical help. Contact your lawyer whom you would hopefully have on speed dial so your case and claim process can be put into immediate motion.