What to Do After a Truck Crash in Arizona

Commercial truck accidents cause devastating and potentially fatal injuries with significant property damage. Unfortunately, collisions involving large trucks and passenger vehicles happen too frequently on Arizona roads and highways. The Arizona Department of Transportation found over 10,000 heavy trucks were involved in accidents across the state in one recent year alone, leaving thousands injured and hundreds dead.

If you are involved in a truck accident in Arizona, the steps you take in the immediate aftermath could have a significant impact on your health and chances of recovering compensation for your injuries. The Arizona truck accident attorneys at Mushkatel, Gobbato, & Kile, P.L.L.C. are here for you. With more than 50 years of experience helping people in these situations, we want to pass on some of what we have learned to you.

Contact us today for more information on what you should do in the moments, days, and weeks after a large truck collision.

Get to Safety at the Scene

The most important thing to do after a semi-truck accident is to make sure you are safe. If possible, move your vehicle off the road and onto the shoulder. You don’t want to move too far away from the scene if you can avoid it. But getting your car off the road will lessen your chances of another crash, help traffic flow, and make it easier for emergency responders to reach you.

Check on anyone else involved in the accident and help them if you can. There are cases when a truck accident might leave you or someone else too badly injured to move. If this is the case, you should immediately alert the authorities, either yourself or by asking an uninjured person for help. Do not try to move someone with life-threatening injuries. Moving them could worsen their injuries.

Once you have moved your car off the road and alerted the police that there has been an accident, keep away from the edge of the road and wait for emergency responders to arrive.

Collect Evidence at the Scene, If Possible

Once you have made sure you and anyone involved in the truck accident are safe, your next step is to gather any evidence you can from the scene of the crash. This evidence can be crucial if you want to seek compensation for your injuries.

Use your phone to take pictures and videos of the crash scene if your injuries are not too severe. Be sure to get pictures of all the vehicles involved in the accident and any visible skid marks. Trained investigators can use these photos to determine how the accident occurred and who should be held responsible for your injuries. It is also a good idea to take pictures of anything in the area that might have contributed to the accident, such as a wet patch of road that might have caused the truck driver to lose control.

If you notice anyone nearby who might have seen the accident, try to get their name and contact information. Third-party eyewitnesses can help build your credibility as you pursue compensation for your injuries.

Take a quick look around to see if there are any surveillance or traffic cameras that might have recorded the accident. If you see any cameras, note where they are so your attorney can request the footage later.

Exchange Contact and Insurance Information

Arizona law requires anyone involved in an accident where someone has been injured or killed to exchange certain information with the other driver, if possible. All drivers involved in the accident must exchange their name, address, driver’s license number, and vehicle registration number.

You will also want to exchange insurance information with the truck driver. Be aware that truck drivers may have personal and company insurance policies for their truck. You will want information about each policy. Without this insurance information, it could be difficult for you to recover any compensation for your injuries.

Seek Medical Attention Immediately

Injuries from a truck accident can be fatal without immediate medical treatment. Be sure to call 911 as soon as possible. If you cannot make the call, have someone else do it.

You may feel fine after a truck accident and think you do not need a doctor. Regardless of how you feel, you should see a doctor right away. You may have internal injuries that are not immediately apparent and shouldn’t risk these injuries getting worse because you put off medical treatment.

Contact the Arizona Authorities About the Accident

Arizona law requires all accidents involving injury or death to be reported to the police. You should notify them about the accident anyway so they can investigate the crash and file an accident report. This report can help show you deserve compensation.

Don’t Accept the Initial Settlement or Sign Anything Until Consulting With an Attorney

Once you have started medical treatment and reported the accident, the insurance companies will likely begin contacting you. The insurance adjusters will try to get you to accept a quick settlement so they can close your case. However, you never want to accept the insurer’s first offer. The initial offer likely won’t be enough to cover your injuries and other losses.

If you accept a settlement, you won’t be able to recover any additional compensation. Do not give any formal statements to an insurance company or sign any paperwork until you have spoken to a truck accident lawyer.

Injured in an Arizona Truck Crash? Contact Our Truck Accident Attorneys Today

The truck accident lawyers at Mushkatel, Gobbato, & Kile, P.L.L.C. are here to help you demand maximum compensation for your injuries. Contact us today for a case review and get started on pursuing justice.

Visit our Arizona Truck Accident Injury Law Offices