What You Should Know After a Semi-Truck Accident in Oklahoma
An accident involving a semi-truck can change your life in a matter of seconds. Because of the size and weight of commercial trucks, these crashes often result in serious injuries, extensive medical treatment, time away from work, and questions about what happens next.
If you have been injured in a truck accident, you may assume the claims process works much like any other car accident. In many cases, it does not. Commercial trucking accidents can involve multiple companies, larger insurance policies, more complicated questions about responsibility, and evidence that needs to be preserved quickly.
At Bolitho Law, we help injured Oklahomans understand their options and pursue compensation when someone else's negligence has caused them harm. Here are some of the most important things to know after being injured in an accident involving a semi-truck or other commercial vehicle.
A Semi-Truck Accident Is Different From a Typical Car Accident
The most obvious difference is the size of the vehicles involved. A fully loaded commercial truck can weigh many times more than a passenger vehicle, which means the injuries caused by a collision can be much more severe.
But there are also important differences in how the claim itself may be handled.
A typical car accident might primarily involve two drivers and their insurance companies. A commercial trucking accident can involve the truck driver, the trucking company, the company that owns the trailer, a maintenance provider, a shipping company, a cargo-loading company, or other parties depending on what caused the crash.
Determining who is responsible is one of the first important steps in evaluating a truck accident claim.
The Trucking Company's Insurance Company May Begin Investigating Immediately
Commercial trucking companies understand the potential financial consequences of a serious accident. After a significant crash, the trucking company and its insurance carrier may begin investigating almost immediately.
That can include reviewing the scene, inspecting the truck, interviewing the driver, collecting electronic data, and documenting evidence that could later become important to the claim.
While you are focused on medical care and recovery, the other side may already be building its case.
This is one reason it can be helpful to speak with an attorney early in the process. An attorney can begin investigating the accident from your perspective and take steps to identify and preserve evidence that may be important later.
Important Evidence Can Be Found on the Truck Itself
Modern commercial trucks can contain valuable information about what happened before and during a collision.
Depending on the truck and the circumstances of the accident, evidence may include electronic logging device records, vehicle data, GPS information, maintenance records, inspection reports, dash-camera footage, driver logs, dispatch communications, and other records maintained by the trucking company.
This information may help answer important questions.
Was the truck speeding? Had the driver been on the road too long? Was the truck properly maintained? Did the driver brake before the collision? Was there a mechanical problem? Had the trucking company received previous warnings about the vehicle or driver?
Some evidence may not be preserved indefinitely. When appropriate, an attorney can send preservation notices requesting that potentially relevant evidence be retained.
The Driver May Not Be the Only Party Responsible
One of the most important questions in a truck accident case is who contributed to the crash.
Sometimes the truck driver is responsible because of speeding, distracted driving, unsafe lane changes, following too closely, fatigue, or another driving error. But the investigation should not necessarily stop with the driver.
The trucking company may have failed to properly hire, train, or supervise a driver. Maintenance problems may have contributed to the accident. Cargo may have been loaded improperly. A defective component could have played a role.
Every accident is different. A thorough investigation looks beyond the most obvious explanation and considers everyone whose actions may have contributed to the collision.
Be Careful When Speaking With Insurance Companies
After the accident, you may receive a call from an insurance adjuster asking questions about what happened or how you are feeling.
You should be cautious about giving detailed statements before you fully understand your injuries and your legal options.
In the days immediately following an accident, you may not yet know the extent of your injuries. Some conditions become more apparent with time, additional testing, or continued medical treatment. A statement made early in the process can create problems later if it does not accurately reflect what you eventually learn about your condition.
You also do not have to accept a quick settlement simply because the insurance company makes an offer.
Before resolving a serious injury claim, it is important to understand what the accident has actually cost you and what the consequences may be going forward.
Your Claim Is About More Than the Medical Bills You Have Today
When people think about compensation after an accident, they often begin with medical bills. Those bills are certainly important, but they may represent only part of the loss.
A serious injury can affect your ability to work, your future medical needs, your physical abilities, your independence, and your everyday life.
Depending on the circumstances, an injury claim may include compensation for medical expenses, lost income, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, future treatment, and other losses resulting from the accident.
The goal is to understand the full impact of the injury before determining what would constitute a fair resolution.
Document What You Can
If you are physically able to do so, keeping good records can make a significant difference.
Save photographs and videos from the accident scene, information about the truck and trucking company, witness contact information, medical records, medical bills, receipts, correspondence from insurance companies, and documentation showing time you have missed from work.
It can also be helpful to keep track of how your injuries are affecting your normal life. Serious injuries are not experienced only in a doctor's office. They can change your sleep, mobility, ability to care for your family, hobbies, work, and ordinary routines.
Those details can become important when explaining the real impact of the accident.
Avoid Posting About the Accident on Social Media
After a serious accident, it is natural to let friends and family know what happened. But social media can create unnecessary complications during an injury claim.
Insurance companies and defense attorneys may review publicly available posts, photographs, videos, and comments. Something that seems completely unrelated to your accident could potentially be taken out of context and used to argue that your injuries are less serious than you have claimed.
You do not need to disappear from the internet, but it is wise to be careful about what you share while your claim is pending.
Do Not Wait Too Long to Ask for Help
You may have a limited amount of time to bring a legal claim after an accident. There are also practical reasons to begin investigating sooner rather than later.
Vehicles are repaired. Electronic information can be overwritten. Surveillance footage can disappear. Witnesses become harder to locate, and memories fade.
Talking with an attorney does not mean you are committing yourself to a lawsuit. It gives you an opportunity to understand your situation, learn what options may be available, and decide what makes sense for you.
How Bolitho Law Can Help After a Truck Accident
If you have been seriously injured in a semi-truck accident, you should be able to focus on your recovery without trying to navigate a complicated insurance claim by yourself.
Bolitho Law helps injured Oklahomans investigate accidents, deal with insurance companies, understand the value of their claims, and pursue the compensation they may be entitled to receive.
Every truck accident is different, which is why the first step is understanding what happened and how the accident has affected you.
If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident involving a semi-truck, tractor-trailer, or other commercial vehicle in Oklahoma, contact Bolitho Law to discuss your situation. We can review the circumstances of the accident, answer your questions, and help you determine what to do next.
This article is provided for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. The facts and circumstances of every case are different.