A big rig accident is something you don’t take lightly. After all, a large vehicle like a big rig can cause quite a bit of damage whether to property, such as your vehicle, or physically, which will require medical care. While accidents like these aren’t as common as passenger vehicle accidents, they can still happen in Bakersfield so it’s important to know how to handle the situation if you become involved in one.
Step #1: Check on Others Involved, If Possible
You may have suffered injuries that prevent you from checking on other drivers or passengers that were involved in the accident. However, if you’re able to, California law says that you must attempt “reasonable assistance” to others who may be injured. If there are people injured that require immediate medical attention, call 911 immediately.
Step #2: Collect Everyone’s Information
This is when having a smartphone really comes in handy. When in the middle of a big rig accident, you might not be reading things correctly or writing them down legibly. This is especially true with insurance policy numbers and other pieces of information that can be quite detailed. Grab your phone and snap pictures of each piece of information you need. At the very least, be sure you know these things before leaving the scene:
- The names and addresses of each person who was involved in the accident
- The names and addresses of the owners of the vehicles involved, if they weren’t the ones driving
- All registration and insurance information for each vehicle
- The driver’s license number for each driver
Step #3: Report the Big Rig Accident
Chances are the someone passing by already saw the accident and phoned 911 so they should be on their way if they haven’t already arrived. If law enforcement hasn’t shown up within 10-15 minutes after the accident, call 911 to report the accident yourself. The police report created by the officer or officers who arrive at the scene will be vitally important to you when making a claim against the insurance or even filing a personal injury lawsuit against the truck driver at fault.
When giving your statement to the officer be sure you give thorough explanations of what happened, what you were doing when the accident occurred and how you are feeling while still at the scene of the accident. If they ask questions and you don’t know the answer to them, then state that you don’t know. Never exaggerate the accident or your injuries, but be sure the facts are noted in the police report.
Step #4: Take Pictures, If Possible
Of course, if you need prompt medical attention, that should always be your first priority. However, if you aren’t in need of emergency care and the paramedics that arrived on scene are okay with you staying, you may want to take a few more minutes with your smartphone’s camera to take pictures of the scene of the accident. Be sure to photograph the damage to the vehicles up close but also get a few shots of the entire scene in the event an accident reconstructionist needs to piece together what happened.
Step #5: Consider Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer
Because of the sheer size of semi-trucks, they can cause a lot more damage than if you had been hit by a passenger car or truck. A big rig accident, therefore, should always be taken seriously. If your accident occurred in Bakersfield, it’s important to hire a personal injury lawyer with experience handling these types of accidents who also has a stake in your neighborhood.
With a free consultation with the Maison Law Firm in Bakersfield, Martin Gasparian can tell you just what’s needed for a big rig accident personal injury claim, what you can expect when filing a lawsuit, as well as what outcomes are possible. If you want to talk to an experienced lawyer that can represent you and others involved in a big rig accident, email Mr. Gasparian personally at martin@maisonlaw.comor call the office at (559) 203-3333 to schedule that consultation.
