Truck accidents can lead to catastrophic injuries. Accidents with 18-wheelers are not as straightforward as a regular passenger car crash. The steps you take immediately following a truck accident can make an impact on your personal injury claim. You should consider speaking with a skilled truck accident attorney in Virginia to improve the likelihood of maximizing your compensation. You should also avoid the following mistakes.
Don’t Apologize or Admit Fault
It is natural human tendency to apologize or accept fault (even when it is not) following a crash. You should never admit to fault following a crash even if you think you were in the wrong. This is because you are not aware of all the facts. The truck driver could be inebriated or distracted and caused the crash. What you say following the crash can be a determining factor in the case.
Don’t Refuse Medical Attention
Your body is pumped full of adrenaline following a truck accident. You may be able to walk away from the incident without feeling any pain. However, the pain may come later. You should never refuse medical attention. Injuries, such as whiplash and contusions take a few hours to completely manifest and for the symptoms to show up. Skipping this step can also render it impossible to recover compensation.
The insurance adjuster may state that because you did not need immediate medical attention, your injuries are probably not as serious as you thought. They may go so far as claiming the injuries belong to another incident as the date of the diagnosis is not in line with the date of the accident.
Don’t Deviate from the Treatment Plan
An injured party that doesn’t follow the doctor’s orders or treatment plan can be viewed as not actually hurt that seriously by the defense attorney or the insurance adjuster. Generally, people that are hurt follow doctor’s orders after seeking treatment. Of course, there can be reasons for a person to not follow the instructions completely. However, it is best recommended that you stick to the treatment plan and all appointments.
Gaps can be explained by somebody not having medical insurance and relying on the car insurance to come through for seeking treatment. Many people are denied insurance by the carrier because they waited too long to seek treatment. Insurance carriers purposely delay liability determination in several cases so that there is an initial gap in treatment.
It is also possible that a victim may have been initially treated and then treated again after a gap. This can be because they believed they were better, only to have the symptoms flare up again. You should know that while the plaintiff’s side can explain gaps, it is usually viewed in favor of the defense.
Track All Your Damages
You can recover compensation for those damages that you can prove in a personal injury lawsuit. You may not have enough evidence for demonstrating losses if you have misplaced bills, receipts, or invoices. You should create copies of all relevant documents and store them in a safe place.
Don’t Forget to File a Police Report
Every truck accident needs to be reported to the police if it involves physical or property damage. It can be a grave mistake to not apply for a police report. This can affect your case negatively. In fact, there is a high likelihood that the liability may be placed on your side. Police report acts as evidence during litigation. So, make sure you file one or it may just cost you the case.
Don’t Make any Statements
It is vital that you refrain from giving any statements, whether recorded or handwritten. This can significantly injure your case. In fact, you should not speak to an insurance adjuster without consulting with an experienced attorney. Any statement you give can be used against you. You may hurt the value of your claim.
Don’t Post on Social Media
It is second nature for most of us to discuss the highs and lows in our lives. However, you could end up providing the claims adjusters with potential evidence by posting the grisly details of your accident on social media. While you may post innocently to let your friends and family members know about the incident, the other side’s attorneys may twist the facts.
For instance, insurance companies routinely take comments out of context to dispute liability. They can also keep tabs on your whereabouts through your regular check-ins. It is actually recommended that you consider disabling your account until the claim is resolved.
Speak With Proven Truck Accident Attorneys in Virginia Today
Turn to the capable attorneys at Shapiro, Appleton, Washburn & Sharp if you were injured in a crash involving an 18-wheeler or any other commercial truck. We offer free initial consultation in which we will review the case, answer all your concerns, and explain the best way to move forward. Get in touch with us today by calling at (833) 997-1774 or complete our online contact form.
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