What Should I Do After A Construction Zone Truck Accident? – 24/7 Support
Most people drive through at least one construction zone in their lives, especially when living in urban areas. Construction zones can be dangerous for motorists due to road workers, construction vehicles, building materials, damaged roads or pavements, and random debris. The danger increases when they have to share the road with large trucks.
Data from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) shows that large trucks are involved in almost 30% of the accidents that occur in construction zones. Those that survive these accidents are usually left with severe and sometimes life-changing injuries, not knowing what to do next.
Steps to Take After a Truck Accident
Imagine it is a nice, breezy day, and you are driving slowly and carefully through a construction zone when you are involved in a crash with a large commercial truck. You are hurt, your vehicle is damaged, and you are likely looking at months of recovery and tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills. What do you do, and who do you call?
If you are one of the thousands of people injured in construction zone accidents involving large trucks every year, you are probably wondering what to do next. Fortunately, you might be entitled to compensation if another party or parties were to blame for the crash.
As long as you or your truck accident attorney can prove that the truck driver’s actions and any other parties led to the accident, those liable will be required to pay you monetary compensation. However, whether you receive this compensation in full will depend on your activities immediately after the crash. Here are some vital steps to take after a truck accident in a construction zone:
Seek Immediate Medical Attention
Accidents involving large trucks are usually severe. In addition, trucks can deal a lot damage when they crash due to their immense weight and size. As such, you should seek emergency medical attention right after the accident. Even if you do not seem to have any visible injuries, ensure the paramedics check you out as you might have a concussion or internal bleeding.
You could also be dealing with one or more of the following common truck accident injuries:
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head, back, and neck injuries
- Burns, cuts, and lacerations
- Rib and torso injuries
Having your injuries treated immediately and sticking to your treatment plan will also help your truck accident claim. It proves that your injuries were severe enough to require emergency treatment.
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Call the Police
Ideally, both the paramedics and the police will arrive at the scene when you call 911. While the EMTs focus on providing first aid to the accident victims, the police will survey the crash site, collect evidence like photos and eyewitness accounts, and then generate a report. This report will give a picture of the moments before and after the crash, and it will be integral to you filing a successful truck accident case.
Seek Legal Aid
Once you receive adequate medical care, you can now start pursuing the truck driver and any other parties involved in the crash for compensation. The law requires motorists who act in a way that causes other road users physical injury and property damage to compensate them for their losses.
Hiring a truck accident attorney will allow you to focus on recovery while your lawyer handles all the complex legal and insurance matters on your behalf. They will build your case and negotiate with the insurance providers to get a fair settlement. If negotiations are not successful, your lawyer will file a lawsuit and argue your case in court.
What Damages Can You Get After a Truck Accident in a Construction Zone?
Contrary to what many accident victims believe, you are entitled to more than just your medical costs after an accident. As long as your lawyer can prove that another party was at fault, they should provide enough damages to compensate you for all the ways the crash disrupted your life.
The following are the types of damages you can pursue after a truck accident:
- Current and future treatment costs
- Rehabilitation and therapy
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages
- Loss of income earning potential
- Property damage
- Legal fees
- Wrongful death
These damages are meant to cushion the financial blow caused by the crash and restore your standard of living to what it was before the accident.
