Commercial trucks are necessary in our economy. They transport goods on the ground so products can get from one place to another quickly and safely. When the goods make it on time to their destination, the people of Tempe and other cities can be supplied with what they need. However, if there is an accident and the tractor trailer crashes, there can be delays and other problems. Our Tempe, AZ truck accident lawyer is here to help you when you’ve been in one of those collisions with a large truck.
There are many different reasons that your crash with an 18 wheeler happened. It could have been the driver’s negligence, the company’s error, or a part could have malfunctioned and caused the driver to lose control of the truck. At Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm, we’re prepared to fully investigate your wreck so we can figure out exactly who was at fault and who needs to be held accountable for your injuries and damages.
What Should You Do After a Collision with a Large Truck?
The stress and confusion immediately following a truck accident can make it difficult to know exactly what your next steps should be. Nobody expects a collision with a tractor trailer to happen to them, even though they might feel worried when they’re sharing the road with big rigs. When a crash does happen, it can cause serious injuries and damages for everyone involved.
That’s why it’s important to know the steps you need to take immediately following the collision. That way you get the help you need on all fronts. Here are the actions you should take after getting in a wreck with an 18 wheeler:
- Assess the situation. The first thing you need to do is assess your situation, determine if you’re injured, and whether or not you’re still in danger. If possible, you’ll want to move your car to the side of the road. If you can’t move your car, you should turn it off and move yourself out of the way of traffic.
- Call 911. From there, you should call 911 so emergency services, like the police and paramedics, arrive on the scene for you and any other truck accident victims.
- Speak with the police. When the police get there, you should speak with them so your statements are part of the report. Avoid making assumptions or placing blame, and only tell them the facts of your accident.
- Exchange information. If possible, you should exchange contact and insurance information with the truck driver or any other drivers involved in the crash. You’ll want their name, company name, truck number, insurance information, and any other contact information so you can reach out to them if needed.
- Take pictures. One of the best things you can do for your potential claim is take pictures of the scene. Snap photos of your injuries, your car, the truck, the road, any nearby intersections, relevant objects in the road, and any weather conditions that could have affected the situation.
- Get witness information. Speaking with any witnesses can be helpful as well. You’ll want to get their contact information so that your lawyer can use them as a resource for your case.
- Seek medical attention. This step comes later in the process if you don’t think you’re seriously injured, but you still need to seek medical attention. You may think you’re not hurt at all, but getting evaluated by medical professionals ensures that any pain is recorded and they run the proper tests.
- Hire a lawyer. After all of this, you’ll need to hire an attorney. Our Tempe, AZ truck accident attorney is here to support you through the claim process and perform an investigation of everything you’ve been through.
Arizona Truck Accident Statistics
Truck drivers are highly trained and typically have a lot of experience driving their trucks, but that doesn’t mean they’re perfect. They’re still human and other things can go wrong while they’re hauling goods. Even if the trucker wasn’t the one to make a mistake, other parties could have been negligent which led to negative consequences while the driver is on the road. This can lead to accidents.
According to the Arizona Department of Transportation’s 2020 crash report, here are the numbers of crashes that occurred for each type of large truck on the road that year:
- 1,481 crashes with tractor trailers
- 28 crashes with concrete mixers
- 133 crashes with dump trucks
- 94 crashes with garbage trucks
- 24 crashes with tanker trucks
- 57 crashes with tow trucks
- 8,896 crashes with other types of trucks
In these crashes, the passengers who are more likely to be injured and killed are usually the occupants of regular-sized vehicles. In fatal truck crashes, 67 percent of fatalities were the passengers in regular vehicles, compared to 16 percent of fatalities being the occupants of the truck, as reported by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Knowing the severity of injuries and damages that could result from a tractor trailer wreck is important so you can avoid them as much as possible. Unfortunately, they’re not always avoidable. Our Tempe, AZ truck accident lawyer is here for you when that happens.
Types of Tractor Trailer Wrecks that Could Happen to You
On top of knowing how many accidents happen involving large trucks in Arizona, it’s also crucial to know the types of wrecks that you could be involved in. Figuring out what kind of truck crash happened to you can help your truck accident lawyer determine who was at fault. Here are the different types of 18 wheeler accidents that can happen:
- Override
- Underride
- Jackknife
- Rollover
- Lost Cargo
- Overloaded Trailer
- Runaway Trailer
- Poor Truck Maintenance
- Defective Part
Any of these on their own can be deadly, but the severity of accidents can be compounded if more than one of these accident types happen together. You could use the help of our Tempe, AZ truck accident attorney so that you can get justice for what you’ve endured.
Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm Supports Truck Accident Victims
You shouldn’t be intimidated by filing a truck accident claim after someone else’s negligence led to you being injured or suffering from damages in a wreck with a tractor trailer. At Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm, our Tempe, AZ truck accident lawyer is here to make the process as painless as possible and get you the compensation you deserve.
Reach out to our office today for a free consultation.
