Contact A Truck Accident Lawyer Before Doing These 3 Things
Posted on: 20 July 2023
If you are ever involved in an accident with a commercial truck, the first thing you should do is seek medical care. This is very important even if you don't suspect you have any major injuries since some injuries are internal and can be very difficult to detect without the necessary medical equipment. Once you have been checked out by a doctor, the very next thing on your to-do list should be contacting a truck accident lawyer. Until you have had a chance to complete this step, you will need to avoid doing the following three things.
#1: Making Any Statement Regarding Your Accident
There is nothing wrong with reporting your accident to law enforcement or the insurance company. However, this report should not include any official statements from you regarding what caused the accident. Instead, you should inform interested parties that you are willing to cooperate with their investigation but that you wish to consult a truck accident lawyer before making any formal statements. This will ensure that you do not say anything that could be used against you at a later time. In some cases, something as simple as you apologizing to the other driver can be used by the insurance company as an admission of liability on your behalf. So remember to always minimize your communication with the other parties until you have had the chance to consult a lawyer.
#2: Discontinuing Your Medical Treatment
It is vital that you know the full extent of your injuries before disclosing these injuries to the insurance company or accepting any settlement for these injuries. The reason for this is that you will not be able to ask for additional compensation at a later date if you discover that your injuries are more serious than you originally thought. Furthermore, if you discontinue medical treatment prematurely, it can be difficult to establish a clear connection between your injuries and the accident that caused them. Consequently, it is always best to continue with your medical treatment until after your attorney has had a chance to review your case and advise you regarding the next steps in the process.
#3: Accepting Any Settlement
It can be tempting to settle your accident claim as quickly as possible. However, a quick settlement will often mean accepting far less than your claim is worth. Do not give in to the temptation to accept the first offer that is given to you. If you give in to this temptation, a truck accident attorney will no longer be able to help you. Therefore, you will always want to wait until after you have contacted a lawyer and they have been able to evaluate the value of your claim before accepting any settlement offer.
For more information, contact The Brogdon Firm.
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