What Steps Should I Take After a Poway Truck Accident?

Whether you are driving on one of the major highways surrounding Poway or you are on a local road, a serious truck accident can happen without warning. Trucking accidents can happen for many different reasons, and it is important to work with an experienced truck accident attorney who can help you move forward with a claim and determine who may be liable for your injuries. Although every case has its own set of facts, the following are the general steps you should take if you have been injured in a Poway trucking crash.

Gather Evidence at the Scene of the Truck Accident

Many truck accidents result in life-threatening and deadly injuries. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), large trucks usually weigh anywhere from 20 to 30 times as much as a smaller passenger vehicle, and they have a much higher ground clearance. As a result, a collision with a passenger car or light truck can mean that any occupants of those smaller vehicles sustain debilitating injuries. If you are physically and mentally able to do so, you should gather as much information as you can at the scene of the truck accident. You should take photos, and you should make sure to record the names and contact information of anyone else involved in the collision and anyone who witnessed it.

Report the Truck Accident to Your Own Insurance Company

While you may be filing a claim through the truck insurance, you should still report the accident to your own insurance company as quickly as possible. Your policy will require you to report a collision within a particular amount of time, and it is important to abide by the terms of the policy. However, be certain to keep any subjective information about the truck accident to yourself. In other words, do not express your opinion since the insurance company could try to use that information to avoid paying out a claim later on. Stick to the facts.

Work with a Lawyer to Determine Liability for the Trucking Accident

Who is liable for the trucking accident, and how should you move forward with a claim for compensation? These are questions you can answer with the help of an experienced truck accident lawyer. In a truck accident case, a variety of parties could be liable, including the truck driver, the trucking company, or even a company that loaded the materials onto the truck for transport. Your lawyer can help you to determine whether you should file an insurance claim or should file a lawsuit against the at-fault party.

Many trucking crash claims in Southern California start with an insurance claim. Unlike auto insurance policies, semi-trucks are required by law to carry higher amounts of liability insurance. Yet even if you cannot obtain compensation through an insurance claim, you could be eligible to file a truck accident lawsuit. In particular, if a trucking company or another business is at fault, those parties typically have deeper pockets and may be able to pay out a more extensive claim for losses.

Contact a Poway Truck Accident Lawyer

Do you have questions or concerns about filing a truck accident lawsuit? Whether you need assistance with a claim for your own injuries or a claim following a loved one’s death in a trucking collision, an experienced Poway truck accident attorney can help. Contact the Walton Law Firm today.

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