What you should do if someone from the trucking company calls you before you’ve picked a truck accident lawyer has more to do with what you should not do in this situation. You should not:
- Give a recorded statement to the trucking company’s insurer
- Sign anything the trucking company’s insurer gives you
- Say anything that could be interpreted as an admission of fault
By doing any of the above actions, you risk putting your truck accident claim in jeopardy. That being said, there is one action you should strongly consider taking after being in a truck accident: working with a truck accident lawyer.
Your Words Will Be Used Against You
In 2018, more than 5,000 large trucks and buses were involved in fatal crashes, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Those who survived likely suffered serious injuries, and if they said or signed the wrong thing before talking to a truck accident lawyer, chances are they suffered a financial injury on top of their physical impairments.
The people who call you from a trucking company after a collision have one job: to collect information that can defend them against a liability claim or lawsuit.
Do Not Be Fooled by Empathy
The phone call you receive might start off friendly—even empathetic. These companies know exactly what to say and how to say it to get you to loosen up and start sharing details about the accident. The problem is, they also know how to cleverly twist their questions and your responses to suit their interests.
Even a simple response of “I’m fine” to their “How are you doing?” greeting could come back to haunt you. Without the help of a lawyer, you may not know what innocuous statements could end up harming your case.
Be Polite but Firm
The best way to handle this type of call is to politely ask the caller’s name, as well as the company they represent and how to contact them. Inform the caller that your truck accident lawyer will be in touch with them to discuss the accident. Then, let your lawyer take over.
For a free legal consultation, call (614) 538-1116
Signing Paperwork Could Sign Away Your Right to Compensation
You might be pleasantly surprised when the trucking company’s insurance provider contacts you soon after the accident with a settlement offer. Keep this in mind: whatever the insurer offers you could represent a fraction of the true value of your claim. The insurance company knows this.
They have every sort of sophisticated technology that can assess the various elements of your collision and quickly arrive at a computer-generated number. The first settlement offer will likely not take into account the true cost of your pain and suffering.
Know the Insurance Company’s Business
The insurance company is not in the business of fairness, nor is it in the business of paying out settlements. Their business is selling policies. Your settlement cuts into the profits attached to the trucking company’s insurance policy. They want to minimize the damage to their bottom line.
A Signed Release Releases the Other Party from Liability
As tempted as you might be to close the books on your claim and accept the insurer’s settlement offer, know that once you sign a release, you have released the trucking company and their insurer from liability.
If you discover weeks later that your injuries are worse than you thought or that your earning ability will be affected, you will not be able to file another claim to recover more money.
A Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help You After Your Truck Accident
Besides leveling the playing field with their knowledge of personal injury law and how to protect your right to compensation, a truck accident lawyer can handle every aspect of your case from start to finish. This could leave you free to tend to the vital task of recovering from your injuries.
A Truck Accident Lawyer Can Secure Evidence to Build Your Case
The sooner you get in touch with a law firm after your collision, the better access you give them to vital evidence that can build a successful case. One of the first things your lawyer might do is assess the state of the involved vehicles.
It is important to preserve as much evidence surrounding the truck as possible, including “black box” data, according to the Corporate Counsel Business Journal. The information found within the truck’s various tracking devices could offer illuminating details as to how the crash occurred.
Your attorney can also take pictures and videos of the accident scene, and they can talk to witnesses who saw how the accident unfolded. Witness testimony could help your case in more ways than you realize.
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What to Do if Someone from the Trucking Company Calls You
Consider working with a truck accident lawyer as soon as possible after your accident. If the trucking company calls before you manage to contact an attorney, tell the caller you are working with a lawyer—then call a law firm.
Bressman Law will take your call, listen to your story, and explain your options. We work on a contingency-fee-basis, meaning you pay us only if we win a settlement or verdict on your behalf.
Call Bressman Law today for a free consultation at (877) 538-1116.
Call or text (614) 538-1116 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
