There are many common causes of truck accidents on busy Montana roads. When you are involved in an accident with a truck, you may be in shock, injured and unsure of what to do next. Keep the following tips in mind.
Contact emergency services and the police
Seek medical attention if you or anyone else involved in the accident has any life-threatening injuries. Get a medical evaluation even if you do not believe you are injured. Sometimes serious injuries are not immediately apparent.
Contact the police to report the truck accident. Tell the 911 dispatch operator that the accident involved a truck and how many people and injuries are involved. This will help them know how many ambulances they should send to the scene.
Take photographs and videos of the accident scene
Make sure to take pictures from many different angles, as well as your injuries and the injuries of any passengers. Take pictures of the weather conditions as well. The truck driver may try to blame the weather for the accident.
Talk with witnesses at the scene. Get their contact information and provide it to the police officers. You can ask the witnesses what they saw but do not worry about getting any official statements. Focus on treating any injuries. If you have their contact information, you can reach out to them at another time for statements.
Be careful what you say
Watch what you say to police officers or anyone else involved. Anything you say could be used against you. Do not apologize or take blame for the accident.
Additionally, you are likely to feel emotional and upset but try to stay calm and not make any emotionally charged statements. This includes statements you make at the accident scene or to the truck driver or trucking company’s insurance company if they call and ask you for a recorded statement.
Injuries from a truck accident can be serious and the financial impact can be devastating. When the truck accident was caused by a truck driver’s negligence, you can pursue compensation through a personal injury action.