Semitruck accidents have the potential to be absolutely devastating. According to statistics compiled by the government, there were nearly 5,000 fatal accidents involving semis in 2017 (the last year for which figures are available) — but the real toll of semi accidents is far higher. For every accident that claims a life, there are many more that leave victims seriously injured.
If you or your loved ones have been involved in an accident with a semi, it’s wise to seek an experienced attorney’s assistance with your claim. Here’s what an attorney can do to protect your legal interests:
- Quickly take steps to preserve any important evidence, including the truck, your vehicle, video footage from surveillance cameras that may have captured the accident and more — all of which could disappear before you’re even out of the hospital.
- Obtain all police reports, investigative records and the semi’s “black box” to look for evidence regarding the driver’s travel speed and other issues that may have led to the wreck.
- Document the accident scene through photos, measuring tools and witness statements while the situation is still fresh and before anything is lost or forgotten.
- Help determine who else may be partially responsible for the wreck, whether that’s the driver, the trucking company, the loaders, the shipping company, another driver or the manufacturer of some part of the truck or one of its components — which potentially increases the amount of compensation you’ll be able to claim.
Trucking companies have plenty of representation on their side, and they’re generally not inclined to play fair with victims. If you’ve been hurt in a wreck with a semi, find out more about how our office can assist you.