If you've been in a truck accident in Georgia, you may be wondering what to do next. Most truck accidents are very serious, and it's important to take the necessary steps to protect yourself and your loved ones. In this blog post, we will discuss 10 steps that you need to take after a Georgia accident involving a tractor-trailer or other commercial vehicle.
1. Call the Police
The first thing you must do after a tractor-trailer accident is to report the accident and get the police to the accident scene. Calling the police and reporting the truck accident, will protect you in a myriad of ways. In many cases, large truck crashes are caused by reckless or negligent truck drivers, and it's important to hold these truck drivers accountable for their actions. Commercial vehicle accidents are often caused by a distracted truck driver, or by improperly loaded cargo. The police will evaluate potentially liable parties for reckless driving or other negligence and will notate the cause of the truck-related accidents on the police report.
Even if you aren't sure who was at fault for the tractor-trailer accident, it's important to contact the authorities right away so that they can conduct an investigation and help determine what happened. Occasionally, trucking companies or truck drivers will try to cover up any evidence of their wrongdoing, so it's vital to get an official report from the police. Important: sometimes after a truck accident, a trucking company may ask you or try to convince you not to call the police. Do NOT listen. You must call the police to protect yourself and to preserve the truth.
2. Seek Medical Attention Immediately
In serious accidents, there are often severe injuries. Personal injury in a truck accident case can range from minor bumps and bruises to traumatic brain injuries to wrongful death resulting from fatal truck crashes. After a trucking accident, you must seek medical attention immediately. Along with calling the police -- EMTs, ambulances, and other medical personnel should be alerted and called to the scene of the truck accident. Even if you don't think that you are injured, it's crucial to seek medical care right away after a truck accident. Some bodily injuries, such as internal bleeding or whiplash, may not be immediately noticeable, but they can have serious long-term effects if left untreated. Indeed, some fatal truck accidents involving passenger vehicle drivers have been caused by latent injuries that only appeared days or even weeks after the truck accident.
3. If Possible, Move Your Car to the Side of the Road
Under Georgia law, after an accident, the driver has a duty to pull their car to a safe place -- if possible. GA Code § 40-6-275 (c) states:
"When a motor vehicle traffic accident occurs with no apparent serious personal injury or death, it shall be the duty of the drivers of the motor vehicles involved in such traffic accident, or any other occupant of any such motor vehicle who possesses a valid driver's license, to remove said vehicles from the immediate confines of the roadway into a safe refuge on the shoulder, emergency lane, or median..."
However, that does not mean a driver should move their car in all situations. In the event, of a trucking accident, if there have been serious injuries or death, a driver should NOT move their vehicle. The police will need to see the accident as evidence to determine liable parties, and moving an injured person, by an untrained individual, can result in further harm or bodily injury. Also, often after truck wrecks, the vehicles involved in the collision have been damaged to the point where moving them would be difficult, or unsafe, as in the case of a rollover accident or truck accidents with other severe consequences. In situations like these, where a person or more than one party has sustained personal injury or severe vehicle damage with a tractor-trailer, the drivers should leave their vehicles in the roadway.
4. Collect Evidence of Bodily Injury and Property Damage
Collect evidence from the scene of the truck accident. As soon as possible after a truck accident, take pictures of any damage to your vehicle or any other property involved in the truck crash. Large commercial vehicles may appear damage-free due to their weight and size but you should take pictures of the commercial truck as well as any damage to passenger cars involved in the auto accident. Pictures will help your Georgia truck accident attorney build a strong case and prove that the truck accident was caused by another party's negligence. A truck accident claim can often be much more complex than a standard car accident claim, so it's important to get all of the necessary evidence as soon as possible.
5. Exchange Insurance Information with the Truck Driver
Truck accident lawyers can begin a truck accident claim directly on the commercial vehicle's insurance company. This means that trucking companies themselves, or their insurance companies will have to pay to defend the claim, rather than the truck driver him/herself. A truck accident attorney can help you find the insurance information if you were unable to get a copy at the accident scene, but if you can exchange insurance information with the other driver, and collect their contact information, you will be steps ahead. Be wary: many times at-fault truck drivers will promise to pay cash or pay out of pocket for medical costs rather than involving the trucking company or their insurance. Do not fall into that trap. In many cases, such a promise is merely a ruse to get out of a tough situation. Georgia law requires drivers to have valid insurance, and they must present it to you at the scene. It is also important to gather contact information from the truck drivers, including a current address, and cell phone number. A good practice is to send the truck driver a text message, while still at the scene of the accident, to ensure they receive it, and that their number is real and accurate.
6. Contact a Georgia Truck Accident Attorney
Contact a Georgia truck accident lawyer as soon as possible. Trucking companies and insurance providers will often try to pressure you into accepting a settlement offer that is much lower than what you deserve. Having an experienced truck accident attorney on your side can help ensure that you recover the financial compensation that you are entitled to for lost wages, pain and suffering, medical bills, and punitive damages. Because truck accident cases can be complex, it's important to find an attorney who has specific expertise in truck accidents and can quickly and effectively navigate the legal process on your behalf.
7. Don't Hide Your Injuries
Be honest and upfront about your bodily injuries. While it may be tempting to try and downplay or hide any injuries that you sustained in the truck accident, this is generally not a good idea. Accurate information about your injuries is crucial to help Georgia truck accident lawyers seek justice and build a strong truck accident case.
Work with your truck accident lawyer to gather documentation related to the truck accident and any injuries you sustained. Whether this includes medical bills, police reports, or receipts for repairs to your vehicle, it's important to gather any documents related to the truck accident so that your truck accident lawyer can present them as evidence in your truck accident case.
8. Keep Track of All Accident-Related Documents
Keep track of all communication with insurance companies or other parties involved in the tractor-trailer accident. You may need this correspondence later on as proof in your truck accident lawsuit. Most truck accident cases take time to resolve, so be prepared to stay patient and persistent in your pursuit of justice and compensation. Truck companies know that a truck accident lawsuit can be lengthy and time-consuming. They may try to use delay tactics to prevent you from being able to seek compensation. At Badger Law Group, our law firm has seen all the tricks, and we know how to make a trucking company pay, and pay quickly.
9. Focus On Recovery
Take all necessary steps to recover from your injuries and move forward with your life after a truck accident. Whether this means undergoing physical therapy, counseling, or adjusting to other long-term health conditions that may arise as a result of the tractor-trailer accident. In Georgia, you have two years (2 years) from the time of the injury or wrongful death to file a claim. Semi-trucks; tractor-trailers; box trucks and other commercial vehicles are all big, bulky, and heavy -- a collision with any one can be life-altering. It is important to focus on your health and well-being after such an incident. While you recover, our law firm will take care of the rest.
Stay focused on recovery and avoid making decisions based on stress or feelings of urgency after a truck accident. Instead, take the time to carefully consider all options, work closely with your legal team, and focus on your health. With the help of a skilled Georgia truck accident lawyer, you can recover the compensation that you deserve and move forward with your life.
Remember that a commercial truck accident can be a traumatizing experience, but with the right legal and medical support, you can get through it and move forward with your life.
10. Consider the Long-Term Effects of the Truck Accident
Badger Law Group's experienced Georgia truck accident lawyers will help you consider any long-term effects of your bodily injuries, including lost wages, medical expenses, pain and suffering, punitive damages, and bad faith on the part of the trucking company or insurance company, when calculating the total cost of truck accidents. This will help ensure that you are compensated for all of the damages that you have incurred.
Your Georgia truck accident lawyer will determine the best strategy for pursuing maximum compensation for your losses. Depending on the circumstances of your truck accident injuries, this may involve negotiating with insurance companies or taking legal action against the truck driver, trucking company, or insurance company involved.
11. Call Badger Law Group
The Badger Law Group team are experts in trucking accidents, and truck accident law, and can help you recover compensation from other drivers, the negligent parties, and the liability insurance company. Our law office, based in Atlanta, GA, is conveniently located. However, if you or people you love are truck accident victims and are unable to travel, we will gladly come to you. We will evaluate all applicable state and federal laws, local traffic laws, and pursue every remedy available to you to get you the compensation you deserve.
When looking for a truck accident lawyer, Georgia residents are encouraged to call Badger Law Group or go to badgerwins.com for a free consultation. Our truck acc
ident attorneys are top-notch and during your free consultation will determine how best to seek compensation for your truck accident claim. Expert legal counsel is necessary when pursuing a personal injury claim - especially where that personal injury involves a wrongful death case or leaves accident victims with high medical bills. Badger Law Group fights for more than fair compensation. We handle many commercial vehicle disputes in Atlanta, GA and throughout the state, and our truck accident attorneys make the trucking industry pay proper compensation. Simply put: Badger Wins. Go to badgerwins.com or call Badger Law Group at (855) 6-BADGER for your free consultation today.
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