With more people shopping online and taking advantage of free shipping, there are more trucks on the road than ever before. While the overall number of deaths from traffic accidents is down, fatalities from truck accidents hit a new high in 2017. Truck accidents can be catastrophic – a fully loaded 18-wheeler can weigh up to 80,000 pounds and inflict serious, life-changing injuries on drivers and occupants of smaller passenger vehicles. If you are ever involved in a truck accident, remember the following important tips.

• Stay Safe – Remove your car from the road if possible, turn on your emergency lights, and mark the accident area with cones or flares. This will keep oncoming traffic away from you as you take the next steps to document what happened.
• Report the Crash – If there are any injuries, call 911 right away. If no one was injured you must call the local or state police to report the crash. Be sure to request a copy of the accident report for your records.
• Take Photos/Videos – Use your phone to take pictures of the accident scene including damage to your car and any other cars involved, any property damage to the surrounding area, and any injuries you received as a result of the accident.
• Get Statements from Witnesses – If anyone witnessed the truck accident, ask them for a written statement of what they saw and get a name and phone number in case you need further information from them. If you had a passenger in your car, he or she should try to write down what happened while it is still fresh in their mind.
• Exchange Information with the Other Drivers – As with any accident, be sure to get contact and insurance information from the truck driver and any other drivers involved in the crash.
• See a Medical Professional – For any injuries, even minor ones, see a medical professional. This creates a written record of the truck accident and your injuries. A truck accident is more complicated than a regular collision between cars. In addition to the truck driver, there may be other responsible parties involved such as the trucking company, the owner of the truck, or even the manufacturer of the truck if faulty parts caused the accident. Trucking companies have teams of investigators that come directly to the site of truck accidents to get evidence so that they can avoid paying accident victims for their injuries. While you must cooperate with an investigation, do not give any statements and do not talk about who was at fault for the accident. Contact a qualified truck accident lawyer as soon as possible so that you do not have to face the insurance company on your own.

Philadelphia Truck Accident Lawyers at Galfand Berger LLP Help Injured Victims Obtain Compensation

If you or someone you love has been injured in a truck accident, contact the experienced Philadelphia truck accident lawyers at Galfand Berger LLP. We have the knowledge and experience it will take to fight the trucking industry for the compensation you deserve. Call 800-222-USWA (8792) or contact us online to schedule a consultation about your case. We have five convenient locations assisting injured truck accident victims across Pennsylvania including those in Philadelphia, Bethlehem, Lancaster, and Reading.