Help! I Have Been in a Seattle Trucking Accident
Posted Friday, July 9, 2021 by Chris Thayer
If you have been in an accident with a commercial semi-truck, you may be facing serious damages and high medical costs. The good news is, you are not alone. The number of fatal truck accidents in Washington state has dramatically and continually increased over the past two decades. If you survived an accident with a semi-truck, you have already beat the odds statistically, although it is understandable if you do not feel particularly lucky. With the average semi-truck weighing up to 30,000 pounds, even a relatively minor collision can cause catastrophic damage to a standard passenger vehicle.
*Seek Medical Attention * The most important thing to do in the aftermath of a trucking accident is to seek medical attention as soon as possible. This is true even if you do not believe you are injured. Colliding with a semi-truck, even at a low speed, exerts a monumental amount of force on your vehicle and physical body. This can cause whiplash, soft tissue injuries, and damage to the spinal cord, neck, and head. These injuries may just feel “stiff” or even be undetectable for up to five days following the crash, however, seeking a medical assessment right afterward can allow you to receive a prompt diagnosis and treatment. Waiting until pain becomes severe to seek medical help can hurt your claim later on by making it appear that you did not take your injuries seriously. Further, some potentially life-threatening injuries, such as internal bleeding, organ damage, and traumatic brain injuries, can also be undetectable immediately after an accident. It’s important to seek professional medical help and report any pain and discomfort that you are feeling. This also generates a paper trail and evidence to support your claim.
*Talk to a Seattle Truck Accident Lawyer as Soon as Possible * Soon after the crash, the liable party’s insurance company will likely begin pressuring you to accept a settlement. They do this in part because the sooner they act after an accident, the less likely you will be to have retained a lawyer. Additionally, soon after the crash you will likely not have had an opportunity to learn about the full extent of your injuries. You may also not have had time to consult with anyone or do research to find out the amount of compensation to which you are entitled. Retaining a lawyer as soon as possible after a crash ensures that you will not be taken advantage of and that you will receive the maximum possible settlement that you deserve. For instance, soon after a crash, you may receive an offer to compensate you for your emergency room visit and vehicle damage, you may be tempted to accept without realizing that you may also require months of physical therapy and additional time off of work to recover. A lawyer can help you to avoid these pitfalls.
*Schedule a Consultation * If you or a loved one have suffered serious injuries as a result of a semi-truck accident in Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton, Burien, Mercer Island, Issaquah, or the greater Washington State area, the experienced personal injury attorneys at Pivotal Law Group are ready to help. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.