What to Do After a Truck Accident in Pasadena, CA

The steps you take following a commercial truck accident are crucial. The safety of everyone involved in the collision is the top priority, and there are actions that you should take to protect your own well-being. These measures can also protect your legal rights. If you are unsure what to do after a truck accident in Pasadena, CA, these are some of the steps you can take:

Get to a Safe Location

If it is safe and possible to do so, you and the other involved drivers should move your vehicles out of the way of traffic and get yourselves to a safe and secure location. Be careful not to move anyone who is seriously injured or cannot move themselves unless they are in immediate danger. Note the injuries that you, your passengers, and others in the accident have sustained.

Report the Accident and Injuries

You should call and report the accident if there is any property damage or injuries. If you are not sure if there are injuries or damages, it is better to be safe and report the accident. Truck accidents are often very serious, as they can result in devastating injuries and other damages. Certain injuries can be hard to notice if you are not a trained professional. It’s important to report the accident and provide information about injuries so that the right emergency responders are sent to the scene.

Obtain Emergency Medical Care

Always accept emergency medical care at the accident. Truck accidents can cause serious and life-changing injuries. Even if you think that you are uninjured, there are numerous possible internal injuries that you may not notice due to shock or because they have delayed symptoms.

Traumatic brain injuries may take days to develop, and internal bleeding or other internal damage may go unnoticed because of shock. An emergency medical professional will have the knowledge and equipment to check you for these injuries.

If you have suffered visible injuries that you think are minor, it is still crucial to get medical care. This is for your own well-being, and it can also be useful for a future claim. Having documentation of treatment can prevent opposing claims that you were injured at some other time unrelated to the accident.

Provide a Police Report

You should give an accurate report to the police officer at the scene of the accident. Your report should be clear, accurate, and detailed, but it should not admit fault. This is crucial evidence to support a potential claim.

Exchange Information With the Other Drivers

You want to obtain critical information from the truck driver and other drivers involved in the accident. This includes names, numbers, addresses, and driver’s license numbers. You should also exchange insurance information. Provide the same information about yourself to the drivers. Note down the license plates and vehicle identification numbers of the vehicles involved, along with the company of the truck driver and the truck itself. This is all crucial information for filing a claim and dealing with insurance providers.

Document the Accident Scene

Documenting the scene can provide crucial evidence in the future. This includes photos or videos of your injuries, the vehicles, the scene, the conditions at the time of the accident, and other damages. If there were any witnesses to the accident, you should get their contact information as well as that of any passengers involved in the accident. If you are able to, you may want to take an initial statement from the witnesses at the scene.

Get Additional Medical Attention

Even if you were examined by professionals at the scene, it can be helpful to get additional medical treatment. Your own medical provider may have useful equipment for catching injuries that emergency personnel do not, or they might have different advice based on having more of your information. The additional medical documentation is also useful.

Notify Your Insurance and the DMV

It’s important to notify your insurance of the accident, even if you were not at fault. Most accidents have to be reported to the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) within a short period of time after the collision.

Find an Attorney

After a collision with a commercial truck, finding an attorney to protect your rights and file your claim is crucial.

FAQs

How Do Truck Accident Settlements Work in California?

A truck accident settlement in California may be secured through negotiation or litigation. First, the injured party must file a claim against the individual or entity that was at fault or vicariously liable for the accident. Truck accident claims are more likely to succeed with the assistance of a skilled attorney and supporting evidence to prove fault and damages. These settlements can recover most or all of the costs that the injured party suffered from the truck accident.

What Happens If I’m at Fault in an Accident in California?

If you are at fault for an accident in California, then the other drivers with injuries or other damages can file insurance claims with your insurance provider to cover those losses. If multiple parties were at fault, including you, then you are comparatively at fault. This means that you are responsible for your percentage of fault in the accident.

If you are determined to be 40% liable for the accident, then you must pay 40% of all the other parties’ damages. You can also file for your own damages, which will be reduced by 40%.

How Long Does a Truck Accident Claim Take to Settle in California?

The length of time it takes to reach a settlement for a truck accident claim in California differs, as the process relies on the specific circumstances of your accident and case. If fault in the accident is clearly provable and uncontested, a settlement could be reached quickly. If the case is complex and requires an in-depth investigation, needs a lot of negotiations, or continues on to court, then it could take a lot of time before the case is resolved.

How Much Will I Get From a Truck Accident Settlement in California?

How much you can get from a truck accident settlement in California will depend on the significance of your own damages and the coverage that the at-fault party has. In truck accidents, damages are usually significant, and trucking companies often have high insurance coverage limits because of that. The amount of compensation that you can recover also depends on factors like having enough supporting evidence and being represented by an attorney.

Reach Out to a Dedicated Truck Accident Attorney Today

When you have been involved in a trucking accident, contact the Law Offices of Carl D. Barnes.