Truck accidents can be among the most serious types of collisions—and the most deadly. The formidable weight and size of a big rig can crush smaller passenger vehicles and inflict catastrophic injuries. If you’re fortunate enough to survive a truck accident, there are some steps you need to take right away. Later on, you can contact an accident lawyer in Riverside to discuss the legal issues that arise from a crash. Your accident attorney may file an accident lawsuit on your behalf against the truck driver, his or her employer, or other defendants.

Call 911

The catastrophic injuries that can result from a trucking accident can lead to the loss of consciousness. However, if you are conscious and able to move, you should reach for your cellphone right away and call 911. Let the emergency dispatcher know that you’ve been involved in a big rig accident. Let the dispatcher know if you appear to be seriously hurt. If you’re able to do so, check on the condition of your passengers.

Exchange Information

If you’re fortunate enough to have escaped serious injuries in a truck accident, you may be able to get out of the car and move away from the road. If so, you can check on the truck driver. Assuming that he or she is not catastrophically injured, you can exchange important information. Your accident lawyer will need the truck driver’s full name, contact information, CDL number, and employer, along with his or her insurance information. Similarly, you should provide your basic information to the truck driver. Avoid saying anything that might be interpreted as an admission of fault for the crash. This includes saying, “I’m sorry.”

Document the Scene

If you’re able to move around, it can be very helpful for your accident lawsuit to gather physical evidence at the crash site. Take pictures of the scene, including the damage to the vehicles, skid marks on the road, and traffic signs and signals. Write down the names and contact information of any witnesses in the area. When the police arrive and take your statement, be sure to ask how you can obtain a copy of the police report.

Get Medical Attention

Before you call an accident lawyer after the crash, you should obtain medical attention right away. During the subsequent weeks and months, keep careful records of your medical problems, treatments, and expenses.

Motorcycle accident lawyers in Riverside often work with clients who sustained serious injuries in crashes that occurred during inclement weather. Although a motorcycle accident lawyer can help you obtain compensation with an accident lawsuit, it’s definitely preferable to avoid a crash altogether. When a rainstorm strikes, the roadways will be slickest during the first 15 minutes, thanks to the accumulation of motor oil on the roadways. If possible, pull over and wait out the storm or at least the first 15 minutes.

Watch this video for more helpful tips on riding safely in the rain. It recommends wearing waterproof gear to help you stay warm, since it’s hard to drive safely when you’re cold. You should also wear bright clothing and reduce your speed. And remember to contact a motorcycle accident lawyer promptly if you do get into a crash.

If you’ve been injured, you should take a few steps to protect your legal rights , even if you aren’t sure whether or not you can file an accident lawsuit in Riverside. It’s important to contact an accident lawyer as soon as possible, since waiting too long to file a claim may cause you to forfeit your right to do so. Your accident lawyer will need as much evidence as you can provide about the incident and your losses.

When you watch this video, you’ll learn about gathering the types of evidence that your accident lawyer can use to obtain compensation on your behalf. For instance, it’s always a good idea to take pictures of the scene of the incident and to obtain a copy of the police report. You should also ask eyewitnesses for their full names and contact information.

After an auto accident in Riverside, CA, an attorney can review the case, determine liability, and discuss the next steps to take. But in the immediate aftermath of the crash, there are some steps you need to take right away-well before you contact a personal injury attorney . It’s equally as important to avoid making certain mistakes that can jeopardize the efforts of your accident lawyer to obtain just compensation on your behalf.

Avoid Driving Away

Driving away from the scene of an accident could result in criminal charges. Even if it appears that no one is injured and that the property damage is minimal, it’s always essential to pull over.

Avoid Making Verbal Agreements

If the other driver doesn’t have auto insurance, he or she might try to convince you not to call the police, file an accident report, and notify a personal injury attorney. But it’s never a good idea to make a verbal agreement to settle the matter between the two of you. Quite simply, there’s no guarantee that the other driver will uphold his or her end of the bargain. Plus, you might later accrue unexpected expenses stemming from the crash. Always call the police and file an accident report.

Avoid Neglecting to Obtain Important Information

You might already know that you need to exchange insurance information with the other driver. But did you know that you should also write down his or her driver’s license number, make and model of the car, license plate, and the names and contact information of any witnesses? Use your cellphone to take plenty of photos of the crash site, including any skid marks and traffic signs, and to document the damage on the vehicles and your injuries.

Avoid Discussing the Crash

When you’re exchanging information with the other driver, it’s essential to avoid discussing the crash with him or her. Save your account of what happened for the police officer. If the other driver insists on discussing the accident or becomes belligerent, you can refer him or her to your auto accident attorney.

Avoid Waiting to See a Doctor

When the police authorize you to leave the scene, you should go to a hospital right away, even if you think you are not seriously injured. Waiting to see a doctor might later enable the insurance carrier to claim that you couldn’t have been badly injured.

Elder abuse is among the most reprehensible of offenses because the victims are quite often powerless to protect themselves. If you suspect that a loved one might be suffering abuse at the hands of his or her caregivers, you should contact the authorities and an injury lawyer in Riverside, CA, right away. Inform the police and your personal injury attorney of all the signs of possible elder abuse you’ve noticed, such as suspicious bruises or other unexplainable injuries. Seniors who are being abused might suddenly develop depression, withdraw from social activities, or display an unusual change in alertness.

Tell your personal injury attorney about any recent changes to your loved one’s medical history, such as whether he or she has developed pressure sores or urinary tract infections. These could be indicative of neglect. Personal injury lawyers can also advocate on behalf of your loved one’s rights if you suspect that he or she is not receiving appropriate medical care. For example, a caregiver might be neglecting to administer prescribed medications.

If you’re looking for a personal injury attorney in the Riverside, CA area, you might have slipped and fallen on someone else’s property, been struck by a negligent driver, or been attacked by someone else’s dog. A personal injury attorney can handle all of these types of cases and many more. It’s best not to hire the first injury attorney you come across. Spend a little time researching the attorney’s background and get the most out of your initial consultation by bringing a list of relevant questions.

Understand the Value of Experience

There are plenty of personal injury lawyers out there, but not all of them have years of experience in and out of the courtroom. Look for a personal injury attorney who has at least a couple of decades of experience. Experienced lawyers understand the fine art of negotiation during settlement talks and they know the tactics the other party might try to use in the courtroom. Seasoned attorneys can provide you with the one-on-one service you deserve and the personalized guidance you need to move forward with your life after the accident.

Schedule an Initial Consultation

When you’ve identified a personal injury attorney who might be right for your case, schedule an initial consultation at the law office. This brief consultation should be free of charge and without any obligations. It’s a chance to meet each other, discuss the case, and consider the details of retaining legal counsel. Bring a list of questions you have about your case and the attorney’s qualifications.

Explore the Attorney’s Track Record

During your consultation, feel free to ask the injury lawyer about past cases he or she has handled that were similar to yours. It’s acceptable to ask for an estimate of how many cases the law firm has handled over the years and how much money in jury awards and settlements the law firm has recovered for clients.

Ask About the Fee Schedule

Before hiring the personal injury lawyer, you should have a clear understanding of the legal fees involved. It’s generally best to find a lawyer who works on contingency, which means that he or she will not recover a fee unless there is a favorable resolution to your case.

Automobile accidents are one of the most common causes of personal injury cases handled by accident attorneys in Riverside, CA. The majority of accidents are caused by distraction and negligent behavior, meaning that these situations are highly preventable.

This video discusses several of the causes for rear-end collisions, as well as how you should modify your own driving behavior to avoid them. Understanding how changes in speed and vehicle distance affect accident likelihood can help drivers navigate more safely. Reducing your risk for an accident will also help you reduce your risk for facing a personal injury claim; if you are involved in any collision that causes injuries, it’s best to discuss the situation with a car accident lawyer promptly to determine your options. An auto accident lawyer will examine factors such as driver behavior, road conditions, and more to help you best present your case.

Vehicular accidents occur every day, causing property damage, injury, and even death. When a truck is involved in an automobile accident, the consequences are often much more severe, due to the vehicle’s larger size, mass, and momentum. A personal injury lawyer near Riverside, CA, can help you understand your legal options following any type of truck accident.

What Vehicles Are Considered Trucks?

Truck are commercial vehicles used to carry goods or other materials. While tractor-trailers are the most common and most visible example of a truck that may be involved in an accident, truck accidents can also involve tankers, delivery trucks, cement trucks, and any other vehicle that requires a commercial drivers’ license to operate. If you are involved in an accident with a commercial vehicle, it’s best to work with an accident lawyer to ensure you receive the compensation you are due.

What Are the Common Causes of Truck Accidents?

Like other types of auto accidents, truck accidents may have one or several causes. Larger vehicles such as trucks have more limited capabilities in terms of maneuverability and stopping distance than passenger vehicles, as well as several blind spots. In many cases, the behavior of passenger vehicles is at least partially responsible for a truck accident. However, issues such as operator negligence, truck driver fatigue , bad road conditions, and poor vehicle maintenance also frequently play a role in truck accidents.

What Happens if I Am Partially Responsible for the Accident?

During a legal case involving a truck accident, the degree of fault of each party will be determined. Even if you are partially responsible for the accident, you may still be eligible for recompense based on the percentage of responsibility held by the truck driver or his company. Your auto accident lawyer will carefully review your actions and the actions of the driver, as well as the road conditions and vehicle conditions at the time of the accident, to show that you are eligible for at least some percentage of recompense for any personal injury or property damage suffered during the accident.

If you suffer an automobile accident in Riverside that involves a commercial truck, there are many possible causes for the accident that might be considered during a personal injury case. While truck drivers are supposed to be among the most skilled and cautious drivers on the road, they are often held to unrealistic standards when it comes to the number of hours worked in a shift and the timeline of a given delivery. As a result, truckers often end up driving more hours than they should in a workday, which can lead to fatigue and distraction on the road.

When it comes to truck accidents , there may be more parties at fault than the driver himself. Trucking companies may be pursued in personal injury cases when the cause of the accident was related to improper maintenance, faulty equipment, or failure to follow inspection protocols. Regardless of the specific causes of your truck accident, you should not hesitate to discuss the collision with a personal injury lawyer to explore whether or not you might seek financial compensation for your injuries or the death of a loved one in a truck accident.