4 Things to Do After a Truck Accident Injury in Columbus

As if being in an accident isn’t bad enough, being in a truck accident injury adds extra complication. Therefore, it is important that you find out what you need to do as soon as possible after the accident.

There are several things you should do, but these four things are the most important for most people after a truck accident injury in Columbus. Not doing everything in the right way could lower your chances of getting compensation for your injuries.

Immediately After A Truck Accident Injury

Although you have a lot on your mind, there are several things that must happen immediately after a truck accident. Some of the most important steps you can take are going to include doing what you can to ensure a good outcome for yourself.

1. Protect Yourself and Others from Further Injuries

If you are uninjured, stop your vehicle in a safe place if possible. Blocking a busy road could lead to other accidents. Once you are certain you are safely out of the way, you should then contact the Columbus Police Department at (614) 645-4545 or by dialing 911 to ensure that help arrives on the scene quickly.

If you avoid serious injury, you should get the other driver’s information. This should include:

• The Name of Their Employer
• Their Name, Address, Email Address, Phone Number, Driver’s License Number/CDL Numbers, Etc.
• Their Insurance Company

It may also be a good time to locate potential witnesses who have stopped to help. They may provide valid information about the accident if they talk to the police about what they saw. This can provide you with a better case when you attempt to seek compensation.

2. Seek Medical Assistance

If you or anyone else that is involved in the accident is injured, medical care should be your next priority. Unless the injured person is in immediate danger, avoid moving them until the ambulance arrives.

This part is exceptionally important because getting medical help for injuries immediately after an accident is the only way to document injuries after an accident. Even if the injuries do not warrant a trip to the hospital, visit your primary care physician as soon as possible after the accident.

The Days After Your Accident

Just because the vehicles were removed, there are still things you may need to do. Mostly, they will revolve around trying to protect yourself from shouldering the burden of cost if you were not at fault for the accident.

3. Document Everything Regarding the Truck Accident and Injuries!

If possible, take photographs of anything to do with your situation and the truck accident. This will include:

• Contact Your Insurance Company: Contact your insurance provider soon as you can after the accident. It will allow them to process the paperwork that will help you in the long run.
• Securing the Police Report: Your insurance company will probably get this on their own, but for your records, get a copy for yourself.
• Taking Photographs of the Scene: Even though the vehicles are no longer there, you can still take photographs of the scene. These photos should show skid marks, potholes, obscured signs, and other things that can prove what was going on at the scene. Do not take photographs of the scene if there is a risk to your safety or the safety of others.
• Photographing the Damages to Your Vehicle: Although the police will likely have this information already, being able to show the damage location on your vehicle for yourself may prove helpful. Often, in an accident, the location of the damages can prove fault.
• Taking Photographs of Your Injuries: Document your injuries. As time goes on, you will want to create a journal that talks about your recovery.

4. Avoid Self Incrimination

Above all, you will want to do your part to ensure that you do or say nothing that may be taken as an admission of guilt, especially if you were involved in a truck accident. One of the main reasons for this is that Ohio is an “At Fault” state.

What does it mean to you? In short, to ensure you get compensation to help you after an accident, you must prove that the other party was at fault in some way. This can be done by proving negligence or carelessness.

When to Ask for Help?

In 2020, there were 132 fatal accidents involving trucks in Ohio alone. This is not counting the many accidents that did not cause a fatality. Trucking companies are going to have insurance that protects them in the event of an accident. You must know how to protect yourself.

If you are unsure of what to do next, a personal injury accident attorney will help you. Our job is to help you establish a “cause” after a truck accident in Columbus. Therefore, we know what to look for, including:

• Driver Errors
• Poor Weather
• Distracted Driving
• Truck Driver Inexperience
• Vehicle/Mechanical Failures
• Improper Load Distribution or Overweight
• Road Conditions
• Was the truck driver following the safety rules that are set by the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)?

Establishing these facts will be the only way for you to take the truck driver to civil court to seek compensation for your injuries, your vehicle, and your lost income.

For advice on what to do after a truck accident injury, you can contact us to discover what kind of case you may have. We offer free consultations to ensure that you fully understand that you should never attempt to go it alone.