In cases of serious injuries or where you need medical attention immediately at the scene, obviously the first thing you must do is call 911 for emergency medical services. Depending on the location of your truck accident, first responders and emergency medical technicians such as EMS and private ambulance teams, police, and firefighters will first address any emergency medical needs, establish control at the scene and take required measures to assure the safety of people and property at the location.
If you, a travel companion, or any witnesses on the scene can do so, recording the events of the truck accident, including the aftermath, is important and will be useful if litigation is required. Do not risk your safety or health to record the accident or aftermath, but if it is possible to have someone do so, please have them record the events transpiring as much as possible. Even the crash scene, the position of the truck and other vehicles, and damage, can be helpful. Providing your New York City truck accident attorneys at Giordano Law Offices Personal Injury & Employment Lawyers with the recording and other information will allow us to better help represent you in your claim and will make a big difference in optimizing your results by settlement or trial. Please do not forget: Take video, pictures, take down identification information, including identifications, license plates, insurance information, and witness and first responder contact information.
What you tell the police, emergency medical technicians, and emergency room staff will end up memorialized in records. Documentation and what is stated in the police accident report, the EMS ambulance report and the emergency room record will become super important as the case progresses. Often, what is and is not in those records can make or break your case and claim for damages. Often, insurance companies and defense attorneys will try to exploit errors and omissions in those reports. If you are unable to give a statement at the scene, make sure the police are told that you will follow up with them and tell them what happened so your version of events can be added to the official reports. If your loved one is not capable of remembering what happened, please let your Truck Accident Attorneys know immediately so they can best assist you in properly documenting the information. Please remember to be clear, concise, and consistent in what you tell the first responders about the accident and how it happened. You may not have all the information, you may realize aspects later, after the dust settles and your injuries heal or your memory returns (in the case of a head injury or other trauma affecting your memory). If you believe the road conditions, a faulty traffic signal or missing sign played a role in the happening of the truck collision, let the police know about that immediately. If you truck swerved, was being operated recklessly, swerved, the operator was not properly watching his blind spots as you were passing, or any aspect of negligence or recklessness on the part of the truck driver, please tell that to the police at the scene. Remember, truck drivers have blind spots, particularly on the right side of their trucks and sometimes do not see smaller vehicles either passing or on the sides of the trucks. Sometimes truck drivers operate their trucks at excessive speeds for weather or traffic conditions, sometimes they drive too closely to the cars in front of them, causing them to brake or swerve suddenly in the event of a slowdown, which in turn causes a truck accident. All these aspects should be mentioned to the police after the truck accident occurs.
It is imperative that you always cooperate fully with police and emergency responders. However, NEVER make a statement to insurance companies or representatives of the truck driver or other vehicles that may have been involved in the accident. NEVER apologize to anyone involved in the crash. Even if you are simply trying to be nice, friendly, or sensitive, an apology will be considered an admission of guilt in a lawsuit or settlement discussions.
It is imperative to contact competent, experienced truck accident lawyers as soon as you safely can do so. Contact New York City truck accident lawyers at Giordano Law Offices Personal Injury & Employment Lawyers at (646) 217-0749 for assistance and a free consultation. Our experienced and exceptional truck accident attorneys will discuss the circumstances of your accident and provide you with the best legal assistance and secure your rights to recovery and compensation.