Truck accident victims often worry about how to pay their bills while recovering from a major injury. While you have a legal right to pursue compensation, obtaining a fair and full recovery that includes all of your costs hinges on what you do at the scene and what steps you take in the weeks after the accident. Here are five key actions to take to 3. Follow Medical Advice
After documenting the scene and allowing the police to investigate, the next order of business is to see a doctor. Let a medical professional look for dangerous internal injuries or physical trauma you may have experienced but haven’t noticed yet due to the adrenaline released during an accident.
Besides finding injuries, heading to the emergency room documents the fact that you were injured and that the injury occurred due to the truck accident. A paper trail is also started that provides proof of how your injury is impacting your life. What you do after seeing the doctor can also directly impact your ability to recover compensation, however. Make sure to:
- Take any prescribed medications as directed
- Attend all scheduled doctor or physical therapy appointments
- Follow your physician’s directions about physical activity after the crash
Missing appointments or failing to follow doctor's orders can directly impede your financial recovery as you begin the process of dealing with the insurance company.
4. Interact With Insurers and Social Media Carefully
There’s no question that insurance can be extremely helpful after an accident, but only if you take the right steps. As a business seeking to make a profit, your insurance provider will look for ways to pay out as little as possible or to avoid paying at all. Don’t give an adjuster a reason to reduce or deny your claim. Politely refuse to provide a recorded statement and do not agree to a blanket release of all your medical records. Instead, let your attorney handle communicating with the insurance agent.
Don’t forget to take into account the role social media can play in your recovery as well. Avoid discussing the accident online, and make sure not to post any photos of yourself that could be misconstrued by insurance and used to claim you aren’t actually hurt.
5. Contact an Experienced Truck Accident Attorney
Besides offering advice on how to avoid problems with insurers, an attorney plays another critical role by presenting all the evidence necessary to prove your injury was caused by negligence. That may involve preventing the trucking company from destroying evidence, as well as gathering information like hiring and training documents, driving logs, medical records, and truck “black box” data.
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