The lanes and streets of St. Louis, Missouri. are infamous for vehicle crashes and collisions. Truck accidents are common, and they result in severe injuries and property damage. If you tune in to the local news, you will come across several instances of truck crashes that have caused death or have made a truck driver unable to work for the rest of his life.
Over the past two decades, there were nearly 98,750 truck crashes annually, which led to dangerous injuries. Also, based on the records, between the years 2010 and 2020, the number of big truck crashes increased by 43%. In 2020, Missouri witnessed close to 119 fatalities that involved large trucks.
Some of the major causes of truck crashes in St. Louis are drunk driving, rash driving, and distracted driving. Drivers must be alert when they are driving so that they can avert the chances of an accident as much as possible.
However, it is not always possible to escape a truck collision if the other party is careless and doesn’t exercise correct driving practices. In such a situation, you need to respond well to the situation so that you treat your wounds with the correct medical attention and also take legal action.
In this article, we will share the necessary guidelines to tackle a truck crash in St. Louis.
Keep a Tab on Injuries and Ensure You Are Safe
The number one step in a truck accident lawsuit guide is to ensure that you are safe and treat your injuries. It’s because if you are not physically stable, you wouldn’t be able to do all that is required of you to survive this accident scene and take other necessary actions. So foremost, address your injuries and ask for first-aid and any other medical help if you think it will be helpful.
After that, you should ensure that there is a safe distance between the accident scene and you so that there are no added injuries and bruises. Truck injuries are severe and can make a person break their leg, suffer from backbone issues, have deep skin scars, and even hurt the upper torso severely. Even if you are at a distance from the accident scene, ensure that you don’t leave it until the police arrive and you share all the necessary details.
Here, you might want to dial 911 for help. When you alert the first responders that you have faced a truck collision, you don’t just call for medical assistance, but you also start a documentation process that proves to be helpful.
Record the Accident Scene
By making use of your mobile phones, you can record the accident scene. Here you can take pictures of the vehicle position involved in the crash after the accident, the truck and other vehicle damages, traffic signals and signs at the scene, and the skid marks present on the road. Take as many photographs as you feel would be helpful to file a lawsuit.
Get talking with the drivers involved and collect their insurance data and contact details. You should also keep track of details like the truck model, its make, the license plate numbers, and the truck’s registration number. These are essential data and evidence that you can later share with your lawyer to proceed with the legal case.
TorHoerman Law states that lawyers make use of the relevant evidence and accident scene data to develop a strong case that helps in attaining fair compensation for victims. This settlement payout helps victims by covering their economic and non-economic damages and provides the necessary financial assistance they need.
Never Admit Fault
After a truck accident in St. Louis, maybe the police will speak with you. Additionally, the insurance adjuster might also contact you. In both cases, you are advised not to admit fault. You should never apologize to anyone. You might feel that it is an act of politeness, but the police and others involved in the crash might just shift all the blame on you, and that will become challenging for you to deal with.
Once you connect with a lawyer, you should allow them to assess the evidence and decide the actual cause of the accident. They will let you know who is to be held financially liable. There might be situations where many parties might share legal accountability for the vehicle crash and the losses and injuries that resulted from it.
Don’t Post Anything on Social Media
People love to post anything that happens in their lives on social media. However, for a truck accident in St. Louis, you might want to refrain from posting it on social media. You can let your friends and family know about the crash and your injuries, but don’t write about it on Instagram or Facebook. You mustn’t make any statements by posting any videos or images that can land you in trouble later.
People can make wrong use of your social media posts to claim compensation in case they contradict the injury claims that you have made. Even a small disparity might act against you and lead to more trouble than benefit.
Be Careful of What You Say
Eventually, you will have to speak with the police and the insurance provider of the other party. Therefore, it is necessary to be watchful of all that you say. Make sure that you stay grounded when you speak so that you don’t utter anything wrong. It is beneficial to take some time for yourself, arrange the facts that you have decided to share about the accident, and stick to them. Don’t speak when you are nervous or hyper, as you might share unwanted or wrong data.
Summing up, no truck driver starts their day thinking that he might encounter an accident. One does follow the necessary precautions, but when an accident occurs, the initial response is fear and shock. And in such a situation, it might be challenging to tackle the entire situation with proper sense and ease. Therefore, truck drivers can refer to the guidelines discussed here and safely manage the accident.
