How to Prove Fault and Negligence in a Truck Accident
Getting into a vehicle accident is an everyday risk that all drivers face, and even if you are super careful, it can still happen. Being the victim of an accident that wasn’t your fault is especially frustrating, especially if the accident causes you a lot of injuries or damage to your vehicle. Truck accidents are particularly dangerous as the sheer size of the vehicles involved can cause enormous destruction. If you are the victim of a truck accident due to someone else’s actions, it can be hard to know what to do in order to get the justice and compensation you deserve.
If you find yourself in this situation, here is how to prove fault and negligence in a truck accident.
1. Hire an Attorney
The first thing you need to do following any vehicle accident, especially one involving a truck, is to hire an experienced attorney. With truck accidents on the rise in every state, there are now many attorneys who specialize in these kinds of cases who will be able to help you. Different states have different laws, and so a local attorney will be able to explain how the laws work in your state. If you have been in a truck accident in Detroit, for example, you may be able to file an action against multiple parties, including the driver, the trucking company, and the manufacturer. Michigan recognizes that truck accidents are more dangerous than regular vehicle accidents and so give victims more opportunities for recourse. Your attorneys will identify who should be held responsible and advise you on how to best prove their fault.
2. Obtain Your Medical Records
You should always go straight to the hospital following any vehicle accident for two main reasons. First of all, you will be able to get immediate treatment for your injuries, which will make it easier for you to recover fully. Even if you don’t think you are injured, you should still seek medical treatment as the pain may be disguised by shock. The second reason is that you will need to obtain your contemporaneous medical reports to prove that you were injured in the crash and claim the cost of the treatment back from the truck driver or another responsible party.
3. Do Not Admit Fault
Many people are shaken up following a crash, and if you have a regular vehicle that is involved in an incident with a truck, it is highly likely that you have come off worse. A truck driver may try to take advantage of your shock and confusion by trying to get you to admit that the fault was yours. It is really important that you don’t admit to anything and that you just exchange details and leave everything to your attorneys. If the truck driver is trying to intimidate you, try to remove yourself from the conversation and call the police to come and mediate the post-crash situation.
4. Record the Truck Driver’s Information
If you are not too hurt, make sure to speak to the truck driver and anyone else who was involved and swap information with them. This should include their name, phone number, driver’s number, license plate, and possibly their trucking company’s name. If the other parties are being aggressive or uncooperative, try and get as much information as you can, such as their license plate and contact the police. Give all the information you obtain both to the police and to your attorneys so that they can track down the responsible parties and begin proceedings against them.
5. Record Witness Details
The statement of anyone who witnessed the accident can be very useful evidence in proving fault or negligence in a truck accident. If you notice any witnesses at the scene, ask them for their contact details so that your attorneys or the police can contact them later. If it was a big accident, the police might well be called anyway, so they will take statements from everyone present to write their police report. This report can be definitive evidence that will help you to prove another party’s culpability and get you the compensation you deserve. Also, as well as witness statements and police reports, take photos and gather any other evidence at the scene of the crash which may be useful to you and your attorneys in your case.
Truck accidents are extremely dangerous and can cause untold damage, injury and trauma. If you are involved in a truck accident due to someone else’s fault or negligence, you are entitled to compensation, which will help to pay for your suffering and help you carry on with your life. Follow the steps in this article, and they will help you to get the money which you deserve.