Austin truck accidents are more common than you might think. It is virtually impossible to drive down I-35 without seeing a flood of 18-wheeler trucks or a tractor trailers. These trucks keep our economy thriving, bringing freight around the country. However, these trucks also carry significant risks, including an increased chance of injury if you are in a collision with one.
Truck accidents in Austin are typically more complicated compared to car accidents because of the various state and federal regulations. Because of the complexity of the situation, it is best to hire an experienced lawyer to help you navigate the process.
The same also applies to a large number of commercial vehicles on Austin roads such as delivery vans and cars. There are many complexities to accidents when companies are involved — big or small.
Call 911 – Make it Official
After an accident, you should always call the Austin Police Department at 911 to report the accident, even if no one has any apparent injuries. You should also ask for an ambulance if anyone on the scene is injured.
Contacting the police is essential as it creates official documentation of the accident, which you will need later to receive compensation.
Document Everything
Before you leave the scene of the accident, document everything as much as you possibly can. If you have to take an ambulance to the hospital, ask someone else to do this for you. You want to take photos of everything, including the vehicles and any distractions or other evidence like skid marks or weather conditions. Get the contact and insurance information of the truck driver. If there are witnesses nearby, ask them for their contact information as well.
Go to the Hospital or See the Doctor
Even if you do not need an ambulance, you should get medical care after an accident. Some injuries may take days to appear, so a visit to the doctor will help show that they were from the accident, not another cause. Doctors also have experience spotting problems that you may have missed, even early on. Depending on your injuries, it may even make sense to go to the emergency room instead of waiting for a doctor’s appointment, regardless of whether the paramedics felt the need to take you there in an ambulance.
Consult an Attorney
You will also want to consult Steven C. Lee & Associates who have over 20 years of experience dealing with truck accidents in Austin.
Trucking companies will do everything in their power to disprove their liability, even if they are to blame for the accident. The experienced lawyers at Steven C. Lee & Associates know the tricks these companies pull, as well as how to get around them.
It is also common for trucking companies or their insurance companies to try to settle with the victims of truck accidents directly, assuming that they do not know how much compensation they are entitled to. If you agree to a settlement without a lawyer, you will likely receive less compensation than you deserve.
Avoid that issue and contact Steven Lee to help you receive fair compensation.
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Steven C. Lee is a personal injury lawyer in Austin, Texas specializing in truck accidents, car accidents, bicycle accidents, drunk driving accidents, motorcycle accidents, construction site accidents and wrongful death cases.
Steven C. Lee is a member of the Texas Bar, Top 100 Trial Lawyers, Texas Trial Lawyers Association and a member of the BBB in Austin, TX. You can view Steven C. Lee’s LinkedIn Profile here.
