A box truck can be seen all around town making deliveries. Many prominent companies use box trucks, including FedEx, UPS, DHL, and even the Postal Service. A box truck has a distinctive “boxy” appearance, which has given rise to their name.
If you have been struck by a box truck, you should follow the steps below. It is critical to reaching out to an experienced truck accident lawyer to improve your chances of receiving compensation.
Call an Ambulance, if Necessary
Nothing is more important than your health. If you need an ambulance because you were badly injured, call one or ask a bystander to call. You should also check with everyone in your vehicle and ask if they need an ambulance. Any of the other tasks listed below can be completed by someone else if you need immediate medical care.
Call The Police
An officer should report to the scene and draft a police report. This report will contain critical pieces of information, such as:
- The name of the driver
- The location of the accident
- The time and date of the crash
- The names of witnesses to the accident
The officer might also make a preliminary determination of fault, which is just that—preliminary. Do not lose sleep if the officer pins the blame for the accident on you. Failure to report an accident can carry penalties, so make sure to call, even if the accident appears minor.
Swap Personal Information With The Truck Driver
You should get the following from the driver:
- Name
- License number
- License plate and truck ID number
- Name of employer
- Name of insurer
The truck driver will also want your license number and your insurance information, which you should provide. If other vehicles were involved in the crash, then obtain this information from all of them.
Photograph The Vehicles and The Scene
It is hard to recreate an accident scene with words. It is much better to get as many pictures as you can so that a person can see the accident.
We recommend that you use your smartphone to do the following:
- Walk around every vehicle involved in the accident and take a picture. Zoom in on any damage—dents, dings, or scratch marks. Try to get as many pictures from different angles as possible, since some dents show up better in certain lighting.
- Take a picture of the license plate of every vehicle involved. You could write this info down, but it is easier to get a quick snap.
- Take several pictures of all the vehicles before they are moved to the side of the road. This helps a person see where the vehicles “ended up” immediately after a crash.
- Photograph anything that you think contributed to the accident. For example, tree branches might have obscured a stop sign or a sign might have been defaced. If a road defect contributed to a crash, photograph it before it is fixed.
If you are too hurt to move around, then ask someone else to take pictures for you.
Speak To Witnesses
Photographs help establish what the accident scene looked like minutes after the crash, but they don’t tell us much about how the accident happened. This is why witnesses are critical. A witness can describe how the accident unfolded, which establishes who is at fault for the wreck.
Ask for the name and contact information of anyone who saw the accident. Witnesses could be people in other vehicles or pedestrians. You can also ask them what they saw, or you can have your attorney interview them. The officer who responds to the scene should also identify witnesses, but some might leave before he or she arrives.
Go To The Hospital
When you are finished at the accident scene, go to the hospital or your doctor. Many people feel fine immediately after a crash, but adrenaline could mask their symptoms. In a day or two, they begin to feel pain, which could be the sign of a serious injury.
At the doctor’s, explain you were involved in a collision. Remember to take any tests that the doctor orders and follow all recommendations for your recovery.
Should I Hire An Attorney When A Delivery Truck Hits Me?
Yes. An attorney would be a big help in trying to get compensation after a collision with a delivery truck. These types of accidents raise many unique legal issues, and only a seasoned attorney can carefully review the relevant facts. Without legal representation, many people are left twisting in the wind as they hope to receive adequate compensation for their losses. Take control by contacting MG Law to get started on your case.
Delivery trucks are large vehicles and they can cause serious injuries. Many of our clients suffer fractures, nerve damage, abrasions, burns, and brain injuries after a collision with a delivery vehicle. Some are even paralyzed or suffer other catastrophic injuries.
Fortunately, our clients can often receive compensation for:
- Medical car
- Lost wages
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
Fully documenting your injuries and losses is key. Our attorneys can help you organize all your medical records and meet with a different doctor, if necessary. We can also help you prove your pain and suffering by keeping a journal and asking friends and family to offer testimony about how the accident has changed you.
Without high-quality evidence, it is much harder to receive full compensation following a wreck. Many people who represent themselves have no idea what qualifies as a “fair” amount of compensation to ask for. Consequently, they usually settle for too little.
An Attorney Can Analyze Liability
A person or entity must be at fault before they will pay compensation, and our lawyers can look at the facts to identify the correct defendants.
In a delivery truck accident, some or all of the following might be to blame:
- The delivery driver. If he made an error while driving, he could be at fault. Common errors include failure to lead, speeding, reckless driving, confusion, chemical impairment, and carelessness.
- The delivery companies. Some employers are automatically liable for any injuries their employees cause. The delivery company might also be independently liable if they put a defective truck into service or if they failed to perform necessary background checks on drivers.
- The truck manufacturer. If the truck was defective in design or manufacture, it could malfunction and cause an accident.
- A mechanic. Anytime a mechanic does poor work, they could cause a collision and become liable.
Few victims can analyze liability on their own, so reaching out to a seasoned attorney is critical.
Our Lawyers Can Negotiate Fair Compensation
Getting compensation after a box truck accident isn’t quite as easy as it is following a car accident. Many companies aggressively fight off claims, often blaming the victim for the accident. To obtain a fair settlement, you will need an experienced advocate in your corner.
Companies know that if they admit liability, their insurance premiums will jump. Consequently, they can drag their feet by denying claims or continually asking for more information and paperwork. We cut to the chase with our direct approach and aggressively advocate for our clients. Someone who represents themselves might agree to take a small settlement; we hold out for the most available under the law.
Negotiation is an art, not a science. Our attorneys have the experience necessary to understand how insurance adjusters and their clients think.
An Attorney Is Surprisingly Affordable
Many victims are afraid that they can’t afford legal help. They might have no money, and they might be unable to work due to their injuries. They decide to represent themselves because they think they don’t have any other choice.
Helpfully, a top-shelf attorney is within reach and very affordable. At MG Law, we represent accident victims on contingency. What this means is that our lawyers agree not to charge any legal fees while they work on the case. Instead, they accept a percentage of any settlement or jury verdict. In other words, an attorney does not get paid unless he or she wins your case.
Contingency fee agreements have helped hundreds of our clients secure legal representation they otherwise could not afford. It also provides us with an incentive, to be honest about our chances of success. If we don’t win, we don’t get paid, so we carefully review all facts and only accept cases we passionately believe in.
Discuss Your Accident With MG Law Today
An attorney will better understand what legal options are available to you, including making an insurance claim or filing a lawsuit. Please avoid delays. Georgia law has a strict statute of limitations that cut off a person’s ability to sue if too much time has passed from the date of the accident.
At MG Law, our lawyers offer a free, no-risk consultation, which you can schedule by reaching out today.
Michael Geoffroy’s law practice focuses on auto collisions, premises liability, wrongful death, and catastrophic injury. He stands up for the cause of justice throughout Georgia and on behalf of his clients every day. He is a leader in both the courtroom and the community, having been recognized numerous times for his involvement in each.