Truck accidents in the Glens Falls area are often severe, and they frequently result in life-threatening and deadly injuries. This is especially true when trucks are involved in collisions with smaller passenger vehicles, where occupants of those vehicles often sustain injuries that require immediate emergency care. Indeed, according to the National Safety Council (NSC), nearly 5,000 large trucks were involved in fatal crashes in 2020 alone.
Given how serious truck accidents can be, it is often impossible for a person who is injured in a crash to take immediate steps after the accident in order to seek compensation. If you are able to do so, it is important to take the following steps in order to preserve your ability to obtain compensation through an insurance claim or a lawsuit.
Call 911 Immediately
It is critical to call 911 immediately after a truck accident. Emergency responders will likely need to arrive at the scene to assist people involved in the crash, along with law enforcement officers to assist with the accident aftermath.
Move Out of the Road If You Can
If you are physically able to do so without causing any further injury or worsening your injuries, you should move out of the road until help arrives in order to avoid a secondary accident. Secondary crashes happen when another crash happens because of a collision that has already occurred (such as a motor vehicle crashes into an accident site). The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) estimates that as many as 20 percent of all crashes are actually secondary crashes. You can reduce the likelihood of a secondary crash and subsequent injuries by moving to a safe place until help arrives.
Document the Truck Accident Scene
Document the truck accident scene as well as you can with photographs and videos on your smartphone. This information will often be critical for your future case and can be used by an accident reconstruction expert.
Ask for Witness Contact Details
If anyone witnessed the truck accident, ask for contact details. Your truck accident lawyer in Glens Falls can follow up and obtain important evidence for your case from witnesses. You should also obtain contact information from anyone involved in the crash.
Get Medical Attention As Soon As Possible
It is essential to obtain a medical assessment as soon as possible. You will likely have injuries that need treatment, and some serious injuries might not immediately have signs or symptoms.
Contact a Glens Falls Truck Accident Lawyer
Most importantly, you should get in touch with a Glens Falls truck accident attorney as soon as you can. The quicker you seek legal advice, the sooner our attorneys can begin gathering important evidence for your case and determining your options for seeking compensation. Do not hesitate to reach out to our firm to learn more about how we assist clients in Glens Falls with truck accident insurance claim negotiations and truck accident lawsuits. Contact Larson & Gallivan Law online today or call us at 518-862-8799 in Western New York.
