Whether or not you get the compensation you deserve depends on the success of your truck accident case, which our attorneys can prepare and navigate on your behalf.

Steps to take for a successful truck accident claim include exchanging names and insurance information, reporting the accident to the police, refraining from making any apologies, taking photos, obtaining immediate medical care, interviewing eyewitnesses, tallying all compensable damages, and staying mindful of the 2-year statute of limitations for injury claims in Louisiana.

Call the Schoenfeld Law Firm at (504) 688-7760 today for a free, confidential case discussion from our truck accident lawyers.

What Steps Should You Take for a Successful Truck Accident Claim in Thibodaux, LA?

Plaintiffs can let us help them take all the necessary steps to successfully pursue a truck accident compensation claim in Louisiana, from interviewing eyewitnesses to tracking all damages.

Exchange Names and Insurance Information

As you should after any auto accident, you must exchange information with the negligent truck driver following a crash in Thibodaux. Drivers operating commercial trucks may be working when they cause accidents. Because of that, and because the driver’s employer most likely owns the truck, you should also obtain their employer’s information.

Exchange information with any other passenger car drivers who are involved in a chain-reaction or multi-vehicle truck accident, which are relatively common because of the size of commercial trucks and their slower reaction times.

Alert the Local Police Department

Do not hesitate to call 911 and report an accident involving a truck. Accidents that result in injury, death, or more than $500 in property damage are reportable to local law enforcement in Louisiana. You can also report an accident, even if you do not notice any immediate injuries, as they might appear later on.

Police officers from the Thibodaux Police Department or the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office can facilitate the exchange of information between involved parties and handle stubborn, angry, or aggressive truck drivers whom victims are unable to engage with because of their injuries.

Do Not Apologize

Be careful not to apologize in any way after a truck accident. If the trucker hears you say that you are sorry, the opposition might try to use that as an excuse to limit your compensation. Louisiana follows a pure comparative fault rule, meaning victims’ damages can be offset by their own liability. Apologizing, even if you did nothing wrong and did not contribute to the accident, could negatively affect your recovery.

Take Many Photos

Photos are key pieces of evidence in any motor vehicle accident case. Your passenger car might be badly damaged from a crash, while the truck that hit you might have little to no visible damage. You should still take pictures of both vehicles and of their final landing positions relative to one another, as this helps substantially with accident reconstruction.

Photograph anything else that could be important after an accident, such as your injuries, damaged car parts, shattered windows, potholes and other road hazards, and nearby relevant street signs.

Obtain Immediate and Ongoing Medical Care

Getting assessed for injury immediately after a collision with a semi truck or other commercial truck is essential. You need to confirm the extent of your injuries and initiate medical record documentation for them. Do not go straight home after an accident, and do not seek initial care from your primary care physician. In all likelihood, you should go to a nearby hospital after a high-impact accident with a truck, as you might sustain internal injuries that you otherwise might not discover right away.

Continuing to obtain the necessary medical care is key for the success of your claim. Skipping or missing several appointments in a row could compromise your health and physical recovery, and might seriously compromise your case and your access to full compensation.

Conduct Eyewitness Interviews

As you heal from the physical injuries and emotional trauma you suffered from a truck accident, our attorneys can prioritize conducting eyewitness interviews. An eyewitness may be able to speak to the truck driver’s reckless or negligent conduct they observed. Eyewitnesses may also confirm that you sustained observable injuries at the scene, helping us prove the crucial element of causation in your truck accident lawsuit.

Tally Compensable Damages

You must appreciate your damages before seeking compensation for them. Otherwise, you might underappreciate your total losses and accept a lower settlement as a result. Depend on our truck accident lawyers to track and tally all of your compensable damages, including emergency room bills, ongoing medical care costs, lost wages, property damage expenses, and more.

The pain and suffering you endured because of a truck accident is also compensable via non-economic damages, which we can also quantify and prove on your behalf.

Stay Mindful of the Statute of Limitations

The statute of limitations sets the deadline for filing truck accident lawsuits. In Louisiana, personal injury plaintiffs typically have 2 years from the date of the accident to file a claim. Typically, the statute of limitations begins accruing on the date of injury, although several exceptions to this rule may benefit personal injury plaintiffs and delay the filing deadline.

Avoid Accepting the First Settlement

For your case to succeed in fully compensating you for losses from a truck accident, you should most likely avoid accepting the very first settlement. While you might be eager to resolve the case, get compensation, and move forward with your life after a devastating collision, a first or second settlement offer might be far too low to accept. The opposing side may still increase offers after aggressive negotiations with our lawyers, so do not think that the first offer you receive is the best you will ever get.

Seek Our Help with Your Thibodaux, LA Truck Accident Case

For a free case review from the Schoenfeld Law Firm, call our truck accident lawyers at (504) 688-7760.