What to Do After a Truck Accident

What to do after a truck accident. Do you know what to do after a truck accident? If you drive at all, it’s important to be prepared and know what to do in emergency situations such as an accident with a commercial vehicle like a semi truck. If you have been in an accident, it may not be too late to take the steps towards a fair settlement for the damages you’ve suffered.

If you were in an auto accident where you were hit by a truck, you are owed compensation for your damages. It’s important to contact a St. Louis truck accident lawyer as soon as possible after an accident. Learn how Burger Law can help you with your case today by calling or contacting us online today.

What to Do After a Truck Accident

The moments immediately after an accident can be nerve-racking, but keeping a level head and following the steps below is vital for the best results for both your health and your truck injury claim.

Steps to Take Immediately After a Truck Accident

• Get to safetyStay at the scene of the accident so it can be properly documented, but do what you can to keep yourself, your passengers and other roadway users safe. If your vehicle is still operable and it’s safe to do so, move it out of active traffic lanes.
• Check for injuriesCheck your own physical condition and that of anyone else in your vehicle. If you can, render aid to those who need it. If someone is severely injured, it may be best not to move them and to wait for emergency personnel to arrive.
• Call 911Get first responders to the scene of the accident as quickly as possible. Stay in a safe spot and wait for medical responders to examine you. Even if you do not think you are seriously injured, make sure to get emergency medical attention because you could be in shock or have injuries that are not readily visible, like whiplash or a concussion.

  You also want to give an accident report by speaking to the police right away. Police are trained to assign fault in accidents, and a police report is a vital piece of evidence when making a claim.

  If you require serious medical attention right away, disregard these next steps. Allow the ambulance to take you to the hospital to receive the necessary medical care.

• Collect evidenceIf you’re physically able to, take pictures of the scene, including:
  • The overall accident scene to show the positioning of vehicles and any road signs or signals
  • Specific damages to all vehicles involved
  • Any visible injuries you or any passengers might have sustained
  • Skid marks, debris, weather conditions, or any other factors that could have contributed to the collision
• Exchange informationGet information from the driver of the truck as well as any available witnesses. Do not rely on the police to collect witness accounts and contact information for every witness. When you speak to the truck driver, be polite but be careful what you say. Don’t admit fault or get into details about your actions in the moments before and during the crash. Get the truck driver’s:
  • Name, address, phone number and email address
  • Driver’s license number
  • Insurance card information
  • Name and contact information for the trucking company and truck driver’s employer
  • License plate number of the truck and any other identifying information
• Get medical attentionIf you haven’t yet, get to an emergency room or urgent care to get checked out–even if you don’t believe you’re injured.

What to Do in the Days, Weeks and Months After a Truck Accident

• Follow your doctor’s ordersIf your injuries require ongoing treatment, attend all follow-up visits, physical therapy appointments and whatever else your physician prescribed and recommended. Getting your full medical treatment not only ensures the best possible physical recovery, but maximizes your compensation when you make your claim.
• Document everythingCompile every medical bill, prescription receipt, therapy session invoice and any other accident-related expense or out-of-pocket expenses related to your injuries. Organize them chronologically and keep them in a dedicated folder or digital space, with a backup. These will be crucial when calculating compensatory needs or proving the financial burden the accident has caused.

  Start a daily journal chronicling your physical symptoms, emotional struggles and any other relevant experiences post-accident. This can be instrumental in tracking the progression of injuries, the impact on daily life and capturing the full extent of trauma faced. Keeping a journal or record of the impact of your injuries can help you maximize your non-economic damages.

• Navigate insurance interactions carefullyInteractions with insurance companies post-accident can be both challenging and crucial. While insurance entities exist to cover damages and medical bills, remember that they are also businesses aiming to minimize payouts. Knowing how to navigate these interactions can significantly influence the outcome of your claims. Here are some tips:
  • Notify your own insurance about the accident, even though you’re making a claim against the trucking company’s insurance.
  • When speaking to either insurance company, stick to providing basic facts about the accident. Avoid diving into specifics or interpretations of events.
  • Speak to a truck accident lawyer before giving a recorded statement.
  • Document every conversation, email or letter exchanged with the insurance company. Take notes during phone calls and always request written confirmations.
  • Don’t sign anything without understanding its full implications or speaking to a lawyer.
  • Safely assume the insurance company’s first offer is a lowball offer.
• Contact a truck accident lawyerAs soon as possible after the accident and once you have left the scene and returned to safety, you need to contact a qualified truck accident lawyer. With a free initial consultation, a truck accident lawyer Burger Law can get a sense of your situation to determine whether you have a truck accident case and whether you need a lawyer. In most cases, because of how destructive large trucks are and the parties involved in commercial vehicles, you will need legal representation to successfully settle your case. Once you have hired a lawyer, they will advise you on additional steps to take during your case and will help take care of the intricacies of filing an auto accident case for you.

The two most important things if you are injured in a truck accident are to get the medical treatment you need and make sure to contact a reputable St. Louis truck accident lawyer from Burger Law right away.

St. Louis Truck Accident Lawyer | Burger Law

Truck accidents can be scary and are often tremendously destructive. If you ever get in an accident with a truck or other commercial vehicle, it’s important that you know what to do and that you take the proper steps to recover physically and obtain fair compensation for the damages. For help with your truck accident case, come to Burger Law. We will discuss your case with you with no obligation. You do not pay until we win your case. Call us today at or contact us online.

Related Article: What to Do After Being Involved in a Truck Crash

Gary Burger

Founder | Injury Attorney
Gary Burger has dedicated his career to standing up against bullies. The founder and principal attorney of Burger Law | St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyer has helped hundreds of Missouri and Illinois individuals and families recover th …
Years of experience: 30 years
Location: St. Louis, MO

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