A serious California truck accident can turn a person’s life upside down and inside out. Dealing with hospitalization, surgery, emotional trauma, financial stress and sometimes, even death can be very traumatic. Even so it is very important to remain calm and take the right steps to get your life on track. Following a truck accident, there are several crucial steps that an experienced truck accident lawyer will recommend you take. Matters such as insurance policy coverage, identifying the trucking company and their insurance company, and handling your medical insurance are the things you should expect to deal with, especially if you or a loved one has sustained major injuries.
Here are five steps that you should follow to help you handle insurance, medical issues and truck accident claims in California. It’s important to realize that the steps you take immediately after a trucking accident go a long way in helping you with proper compensation for your pain and suffering.
1. File a police report: No matter what and even if you believe that your accident is minor, filing a police report is critical. Contact the nearest police department as soon as possible. This ensures a well-documented case and the truck driver and company are identified faster and more easily. Report ANY pain or discomfort you have the time of the accident and point out any apparent injuries.
2. Seek prompt medical attention: It is imperative that you schedule a visit with your doctor or visit the emergency room immediately after a truck accident to make sure you haven’t been injured. Many times, victims do not feel anything immediately after an accident due to shock, the adrenaline rush, and other factors. It’s a fact that several injuries such as whiplash, spinal cord damage, concussions or even, potentially lethal internal injuries may not manifest right after an accident. To make things worse neglecting to get treatment right away can be held against you when the insurance company evaluates your claim.
3. Notify your insurance company right away: In California auto insurance companies must be notified soon after your accident. The sooner you report the accident the higher your chances will be to be reimbursed for your medical expenses and other costs incurred as the result of the truck accident. We will say it again; you NEED to notify your insurance company immediately after a truck accident. If you wait too long you may not recover important compensation for medical expenses, lost of wages and other costs.
4. Do not give statements or sign papers for insurance companies: Be very wary of insurance adjusters even if they are your own! Do not make statements or sign papers or agreements without your own big rig truck accident attorney present. By singing papers or giving statements, you may be giving away your rights to fair compensation. An insurance company’s sole goal is to minimize or even eliminate your claim and avoid a big payout. Do not believe otherwise.
5. Hire an experienced truck accident lawyer: After a serious truck accident, where you or a loved one sustained injuries, you need a skilled and experienced truck accident attorney. A personal injury lawyer will deal with insurance companies and their lawyers to make sure you get maximum compensation for your damages and make sure you do not get taken advantage of.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a California truck accident, contact The Nagelberg Bernard Law Group as soon as possible. We always offer a free and comprehensive consultation to truck accident victims and their families. Call us today for a complimentary review of your California truck accident claim.
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