Getting into an accident with a large and heavy commercial truck can be devastating for car drivers and passengers. In some cases, truck drivers walk away from a crash unharmed while other road users suffer from fatal or permanent injuries in the same accident. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), most fatalities in truck accidents are car occupants followed by pedestrians. 

An accident with a truck can be traumatic, physically painful, and costly. However, victims may have several avenues for pursuing damages, including a negligent driver, trucking company, or another third party. Trucking companies typically send a trucking quick response team to the accident scene immediately to gather crucial time-sensitive evidence such as technical data and witness statements. 

A trucking quick response team can make it harder for you to recover compensation from the at-fault party. In order to ensure a level playing field and protect your legal rights, consider speaking to an attorney immediately after your accident. Contact Labrum Law Firm now to schedule a free case evaluation and find out how we could help you: (615) 338-9500.

What Is a Trucking Quick Response Team?

Once an accident has happened, most individuals will dial 911 and wait for emergency services and law enforcement to arrive. However, the truck driver's first actions will include calling their employer. The trucking company then typically sends a rapid response team to the accident scene right away.

Trucking companies and their insurers are experienced in handling accidents and want to keep their payouts as low as possible. While the trucking quick response team may appear impartial, it is important to remember that they are paid by the trucking company. The team will primarily be concerned with collecting as much evidence as possible that could protect the trucking company and help with denying liability for the trucking accident. 

Who Is Part of the Quick Response Team?

The trucking quick response team typically consists of various professionals that have experience in dealing with truck accidents such as:

• Accident reconstruction experts
• Insurance company adjusters
• Defense attorneys
• Investigators

Victims of truck accidents can be at a disadvantage as soon as the rapid response team arrives at the scene. Therefore, the sooner you speak to an experienced personal injury lawyer to learn more about your legal rights, the sooner you can make decisions that are in your best interest and ensure that crucial evidence does not get destroyed. Call Labrum Law Firm for help and assistance today to ensure your legal rights remain protected. 

Your Next Best Steps After a Truck Accident

If you or a loved one suffered harm and property damage in an accident, you will need to take some concrete steps for protecting your legal rights. 

Take Photographs

The sooner you start collecting evidence, the better for your case. If you are able to do so safely, make sure to take pictures of the trucking accident scene and all vehicles involved. Try to record all damage to your car. If you are too badly hurt, ask others such as family members or witnesses to take photographs for you. 

Collect Contact Details

Eyewitness testimony can be crucial for your case.  After a crash with a truck, try to get contact information from all involved parties, including the truck driver and company, witnesses, other drivers, and those in nearby homes or businesses who may have witnessed the accident.   

Seek Medical Advice Immediately

If you suffered serious injuries, you were probably hospitalized and have records to show it. However, if you only suffered minor injuries, you should still visit a doctor to rule out any serious conditions that could crop up after days or even weeks. Without medical reports and statements from around the time of the trucking accident, the other side could argue that you were fine after the crash and your injuries are unrelated to the crash.

Consider Contacting a Truck Accident Lawyer

While it can always be beneficial to seek legal advice as soon as possible after a truck accident, doing so can be pivotal when a trucking quick response team is involved. Trucking crashes can be extremely complex and challenging to prove, and even more so when the other side has already dispatched a team of experts to work in their best interests. 

An attorney can begin to collect evidence and investigate the accident immediately. They can also offer you legal protection and guidance. An attorney can supply their own team of experts that are on your side, providing a level playing field. 

The Benefits of Hiring a Truck Accident Attorney

Truck accidents rarely end well for car occupants and other road users. Victims may be unable to work again after a tragic accident, could be disabled for life, or may require constant care. If there is a lot at stake, a lawyer can offer reassurance and will leave no stone unturned in fighting for what you deserve under the law. Labrum Law Firm helps victims pursue the compensation they deserve and need to carry on with their lives. Our experienced trucking accident attorneys can help victims with the following: 

Identifying all Responsible Parties

Truck accidents, unlike most car accidents, could have several liable parties and avenues for pursuing compensation. A seasoned attorney from our firm can help to determine all at-fault parties which can include:

• The driver
• The trucking company
• A vehicle manufacturer
• A third-party vendor or mechanic 

Establishing Fault

According to the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) accidents with trucks typically occur for driver-related reasons including but not limited to:

• Driving intoxicated
• Texting while driving
• Speeding
• Drowsy driving

A dedicated attorney can investigate the circumstances of your accident fully to determine and prove negligence.

Handling Insurance Adjusters

Insurance companies can put up a fight when it comes to settling and may try to minimize a claim or deny a settlement altogether. We negotiate with the at-fault party's insurance company to try and achieve a fair settlement. A lawyer can protect your legal rights at all times and aim to ensure that you are treated fairly.

Representing You Strongly at Trial

In some instances, insurance companies drag their heels and try to deny, minimize, or severely delay the settlement a victim of a trucking accident deserves under the law. Our experienced attorneys know when the time has come to take your case to court and file a personal injury lawsuit. They can take your case all the way to trial, if necessary, and represent you aggressively.

Call Labrum Law Firm To Learn More

If you are faced with a trucking quick response team at the scene of your trucking accident, you should consider contacting an attorney as soon as possible for legal protection and to learn all of your legal options. Contact Labrum Law Firm today for a free consultation: (615) 338-9500.