Mistakes to Avoid After a Truck Accident in Clearwater

Any kind of car accident can be a jarring experience especially when one of the vehicles involved is a truck. The sheer size of most trucks increases the likelihood of a severe injury, and the various layers of involvement in truck operation easily serve to intimidate people from pursuing claims out of fear of engaging with insurance companies and powerful corporations.

Because of this, many people wait far too long to call an attorney or to seek medical treatment when they are actually injured because they are afraid of the medical bills or the legal process. However, the number one way to avoid these mistakes is to contact a Clearwater truck accident lawyer as soon as possible to see what your options are immediately following your accident. Failing to contact an attorney can lead to easily avoidable mistakes, and these mistakes can significantly impact the value of damages you are able to receive.

Admitting Fault at the Scene

Oftentimes, the truck driver will not admit fault at the scene of the accident because they are in the middle of their professional setting, and will be looking for an admission of fault from the other driver. Drivers may know whether or not they are at fault for the accident, but admitting fault will never help, because fault will be proven throughout the case.

If a driver admits fault at the accident scene, it is very hard to come back from that, and they may have been tricked already from the beginning by the truck driver or any representative that may show up wanting a statement absolving the truck driver of fault whether or not the truck driver should be faulted.

After an accident, drivers are flustered and anxious, which can lead to improper recollection of facts. It is never a good idea for a person to admit fault in the truck accident until they have spoken to police officers and a personal injury lawyer to find out what witnesses said about the accident, and to see if there were Clearwater traffic cameras or anything else that may be able to prove what actually happened.

Apologizing

It is best not to discuss the accident with the truck driver, or with anyone at the scene, even if the goal is to be polite and apologize, or to see how the other driver is doing. The best course of action for a person involved in a truck accident to take is to call 911 and seek any necessary emergency medical attention, for both themselves, or for the other driver, if necessary, but not to discuss fault or what happened in the accident, because that can be used against the claim in the accident case.

Failing to Contact an Attorney Quickly

If an individual does not contact an injury attorney early in the case, there is a chance that the insurance company will contact them to try to get ahead in the case and to gain some advantage. Additionally, insurance companies may try to settle with people for much less than their case is worth.

If a driver is injured and does not contact an attorney in the beginning of a case, there is a real chance that the at-fault driver, the company that owns the truck, or the insurance company will do everything they can to take advantage of the injured party in this case while they remain unrepresented.

Best Time to Contact an Attorney

The best time to contact an attorney is right after seeking initial medical treatment. The most important thing in personal injury cases, if a person is injured in a car accident, is to call the doctor and seek medical treatment as soon as possible. Immediately after leaving that doctor’s appointment, it is crucial for anyone who has sustained injuries to contact an attorney to make sure that their legal rights are being protected after taking care of the initial visit with the doctor to make sure that there is no emergency procedure necessary.

Benefit of Hiring a Lawyer

A personal injury lawyer can be very helpful dealing with the insurance company in the case, opening up claims for you and keeping track, as well as keeping the insurance company at bay and not interfering with your treatment in your case. Attorneys can also deal with all of your medical bills and medical records, compiling and sending them together with the insurance company and then arguing with the insurance company about the value of your case.

If your Clearwater truck accident case needs to go to trial, then you need an attorney to file a lawsuit on your behalf and negotiate with the insurance company lawyers to make sure that you get what you deserve, that your case is maximized, and that the party that caused the accident pays for all of your injuries and medical bills.