Trucks are incredibly enormous vehicles, and they are on the road almost every day. If a truck or 18-wheeler causes an accident, other drivers may be severely injured or worse. If you are hurt in such an accident, get help and hire a lawyer as soon as possible.
Truck accidents are known to be severe, and numerous drivers and passengers may be hurt. The police and emergency medical personnel should be contacted immediately. Your lawyer may review the results of police investigations for evidence while also conducting investigations of their own. Evidence about the trucker, the trucking company, road conditions, and various other factors can help us get you the compensation you deserve.
Receive a private, free case review by calling our truck accident lawyers at Rice Law at (410) 694-7291.
What to Do Following a Truck Accident
Truck accidents can be highway disasters, and it can be easy to panic. Whatever happens, stay calm, call for help, and focus on getting to the hospital immediately.
Call 911
The very first thing you should do is call 911. If you are too badly injured to call yourself, someone else at the accident should make the call. Get an ambulance sent to the accident immediately. The police should also be dispatched.
If you are hurt and unable to leave your vehicle safely, wait where you are. Emergency personnel will help you get out of the car and take you to the hospital.
Document the Accident Scene
Try to record or document the accident scene if it is safe for you to do so. Drivers often take photos and record videos of the accident scene, often to send to insurance companies.
These photos and videos can also be entered into evidence in a courtroom if necessary. In many cases, photos and videos from the accident are all that remain of the crash site after authorities clear it, making these recordings incredibly important.
Speak to the Police
When you call 911, the police should be sent to the accident in addition to an ambulance. If possible, you should provide a statement to the police to assist in their investigation. If you are taken to the hospital before you can speak to the authorities, your attorney can help you contact them later.
Also, you should try to get information about the investigating officers so our truck accident lawyers can obtain copies of their official reports later.
Call a Lawyer
When you are ready, call a lawyer for help getting compensation for your numerous injuries and damages. You might be badly injured, and the costs of the accident might already be starting to pile up. An experienced attorney should help you review all possible legal options.
Who Can You Sue for a Truck Accident in Montgomery Village?
Determining who should be held responsible for the accident may be difficult, and we might not know the answer until after a formal investigation. Even so, defendants often include truckers, trucking companies, and additional drivers.
Truck Drivers
Many truck crashes are the direct result of truck drivers’ negligent behavior. Falling asleep at the wheel, speeding, or disregarding traffic or road conditions are just a few common examples of trucker negligence.
Trucking Companies
If the truck driver negligently caused the accident, the trucking company that hired them may also be on the hook. When an employee negligently causes injuries, their employer may be named in the lawsuit and held vicariously liable even though they may not have been directly involved.
Trucking companies can also be held responsible for direct involvement, such as dangerous vehicle maintenance or negligent hiring/retention of a dangerous driver.
Other Drivers in the Accident
The trucker might not be the only driver responsible for the crash. If other drivers involved in the collisions are found to have behaved negligently, we should include them in the lawsuit. Fault need not be shared evenly among drivers for all to be included in the case.
Gathering Proof to Support Your Truck Accident Lawsuit
Evidence may come from various sources, and evidence in each case may be unique, meaning you might not know what you need until you review your claims with a lawyer.
Trucking Company Records
When suing a trucking company, we may need various business records from the company about the truck driver, the truck, and safety and maintenance information. These records may indicate when the truck driver was hired, what kind of training they received, and whether the truck was recently inspected.
Security Camera Videos
Video footage of the accident may exist. Private security cameras or traffic cameras monitored by governmental entities may be available to us.
You or other drivers might have dashcam videos of the crash, and the truck itself may have been equipped with cameras.
Witness Testimony
Strong cases are often based on witness testimony, and the more witnesses who can back up your claims in court, the better. Other drivers, passengers, and anyone else involved in the accident may testify about what they know.
Accident Reconstruction
If the accident is complex, as many truck accidents are, we may need accident reconstruction experts to help us determine how it happened. Such experts may scientifically recreate the accident based on the evidence and offer an opinion about who is responsible.
How to Assess Damages for Permanent Injuries from Truck Accidents
Truck accidents may cause permanent or long-term injuries, and you should claim current and future damages. For example, you may claim the cost of medical care you have received so far and, if you need long-term care, the costs of future treatment.
You should also claim much more extensive damages for pain and suffering that account for a lifetime of living with your injuries.
How Soon After a Truck Accident Should You File a Lawsuit?
In Maryland, you have 3 years from the date of the truck accident to file a lawsuit in court. Although this may seem like more than enough time, we must wait for the results of a police investigation, insurance claims, and our own investigations. It is best to hire a lawyer as soon as possible.
Can You File an Auto Insurance Claim After a Truck Accident?
You can file auto insurance claims after a truck accident. You may file claims with the truck driver’s liability coverage and their employer’s insurance. A lawyer can help you coordinate benefits between multiple insurance claims and take the case to court if they refuse to pay a fair value.
What Happens if Multiple Drivers Sue for the Same Truck Accident?
Certain aspects of the case may be consolidated for efficiency. For example, legal proceedings revolving around the same questions of law or fact may be held together.
Your claims may remain legally separate from the other victims’ claims. E.g., you can still win even if they lose.
Contact Our Truck Accident Attorneys in Montgomery Village for Legal Help
Receive a private, free case review by calling our truck accident lawyers at Rice Law at (410) 694-7291.