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What You Should Address Before Filing A Trucking Accident Claim

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Few events have the capacity to leave people seriously hard that trucking accidents do. If you're thinking about pursuing a claim, it's a good idea to learn what a truck accidents lawyer will want to address first. Here are three things you'll need to deal with as you work with a trucking accidents attorney.

Police and Medical Reports

Reports detailing what happened during the incident and the injuries that victims sustained are bread and butter for a trucking accidents lawyer. Try to get the names of the police officers who responded to the call and which stations they came from. When you go to the hospital, ask the doctor to provide you with a medical report for the purposes of pursuing an injury case. Do this even if you're not 100% sure you're going to hire a truck accidents attorney.

It's also a good idea to conduct follow-ups with doctors several weeks and months later. An attorney typically wants to know that a client has discovered as much of their actual injuries as possible before they file a claim. Once you settle a claim or get a judgment, there's little chance of being able to seek more money if additional injuries are found. Fortunately, most states allow between two and three years before the initial filing of a claim has to be started. 

Any Evidence of the Weather

One of the strongest defenses a trucking company can present is that the weather was at fault. Even if there was bad weather, though, a rig still has to be operated safely for the conditions. If possible, use the camera on your phone to record pictures and video the scene, taking note of the weather conditions. Your attorney can also search for nearby traffic and dash camera footage from other drivers, ATMs and stoplights to get a better sense of what the weather was at the time. With a little luck, they may even get the incident on video.

Keep a Daily Journal

Documenting pain and suffering can be a challenge. It's normal for a truck accidents lawyer to have a client make a written journal. Each day you should note how you feel both physically and emotionally. Play it straight with what you write, though, because misrepresentations and exaggerations can hurt a case. This journal can then be presented as part of a larger argument while seeking damages for emotional and physical traumas.


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