If you have been seriously injured in a truck accident in Alabama, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation. However, it is up to you to protect your claim. Keep reading to learn what you need to do in this scenario from an experienced Birmingham truck accident lawyer.
7 Important Steps to Take After a Truck Accident in Alabama
Serious truck accidents can leave victims facing several types of financial and non-financial losses. If you have a claim for your truck accident, you are entitled to seek just compensation for all of the losses you have incurred as a result of the collision.
You are entitled to seek just compensation for your anticipated future losses as well. If you suffered long-term or permanent injuries, these future losses could be substantial. With this in mind, to help maximize your chances of recovering the full compensation you deserve, you should:
1. Prioritize Your Medical Care
First and foremost, you should prioritize your medical care. If you haven’t yet seen a doctor, you should do so promptly. If you have seen a doctor, you should carefully follow your doctor’s advice (or seek a second opinion, if necessary).
While this is important for your physical recovery, it is also important for protecting your legal rights. Prioritizing your medical care will help ensure that you have the documentation you need to take legal action, and it will also prevent the insurance companies from blaming you for your pain and out-of-pocket losses.
2. Give Yourself Time to Rest and Recover
If your doctor says you need rest, you should rest. While you may be tempted to get back to work as quickly as possible, returning to work too soon could be costly.
Why? There are two primary reasons. First, if you exacerbate your injuries or prolong your recovery, you may incur additional medical costs. Second, if you incur medical costs that you could (and should) have avoided by staying home and resting, these costs might not be covered under your claim.
Along with resting as necessary, you should also follow your doctor’s advice regarding recovery. When it comes time to start walking, exercising, or going to physical therapy, you should do what your doctor prescribes. Here too, if you are responsible for any pain, suffering, or out-of-pocket costs that you could (and should) have avoided, the insurance companies might not be willing to pay.
3. Review (and Be Sure to Keep) Any Documentation
As soon as possible after your truck accident, you should review any documentation that you have from the accident scene. This includes your copy of the police report (if you received one) and any photos or videos you took with your phone. You should also be sure to keep all photos and videos you took with your phone so that your lawyer can use them as evidence in your case if warranted.
4. Take Notes Before Your Memory of the Accident Starts to Fade
After reviewing any documentation you have from the accident scene, you should spend 10 to 20 minutes taking detailed notes. You should do this before your memory of the accident fades. Write down anything you can remember, including details such as:
- Road, traffic, and weather conditions
- Traffic signs and signals in the vicinity of the accident scene
- Each vehicle’s direction of travel and approximate speed
- Any signs that the truck driver was being reckless or wasn’t paying attention
- Any other signs of what may have led to the collision
These are just examples. The more details you can record, the better. Even if you aren’t sure whether a particular detail might be relevant to your truck accident case, you should write it down to discuss with your lawyer.
5. Schedule a Free Consultation with an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer
Seeking just compensation after a truck accident in Alabama requires experienced legal representation. From determining the cause (or causes) of the accident to determining how much you deserve to recover, it will be important to have an experienced lawyer on your side every step of the way. With this in mind, you should schedule a free consultation as soon as possible.
6. Rely on Your Lawyer to Investigate and Determine What Claim(s) You Should File
Once you hire a lawyer to represent you, your lawyer will be able to conduct a comprehensive investigation. Depending on the circumstances of your case, this may involve:
- Sending an investigator to the scene of the accident
- Hiring an expert to examine your vehicle, the commercial truck, and any other vehicles involved in the collision
- Obtaining the truck driver’s cell phone records or receipts
- Obtaining the truck driver’s driving log and other documentation from the trucking company
- Working with an accident reconstructionist to piece together the events leading up to the accident
After gathering and examining all of the available evidence, your lawyer will be able to determine what claim (or claims) he or she can file on your behalf. This is critical, as you need to file the right claim(s) against the right party(ies) in order to seek the financial compensation you deserve.
7. Work With Your Lawyer to Make Informed Decisions Throughout the Process
Going forward, you should work with your lawyer to make informed decisions throughout the process. This includes making informed decisions about everything from how much compensation to seek to when (and if) to consider a settlement. While your lawyer can handle your case for you, it will ultimately be up to you to decide when you are prepared to move on.
Contact Us for a Free Consultation with an Experienced Birmingham Truck Accident Lawyer
Were you seriously injured in a truck accident in Alabama? If so, we encourage you to contact us promptly so that we can help. To speak with an experienced Birmingham truck accident lawyer as soon as possible, call 205-855-2745 or tell us how we can reach you online now.