When you're badly injured, the last thing you want to think about is filling out paperwork, searching for an attorney, or trying to gather evidence. Yet, these steps are necessary if you want to collect the compensation you deserve due to someone else's negligence. The more you know about personal injury cases and hiring an attorney, the less stressful this time will be.
We've created this website to offer basic personal injury law advice for anyone who has been injured or who may become injured in the future. Keep in mind that if you've been injured in a car accident, due to medical neglect, or even by slipping in someone else's parking lot, your case qualifies a personal injury case — and thus you'll find our collection of articles relevant.
You hope it will never happen. Unfortunately, accidents happen every day. The key is to be prepared when they do. With the number of garbage trucks that are on the road, traffic accidents are bound to occur. If you're involved in an accident involving a garbage truck, it's important that you know what to do. Accidents involving garbage trucks should be handled in much the same way as you'd handle an accident involving a semi-truck. After all, garbage trucks are large, commercial vehicles. Here are four steps you need to take if you're hit by a garbage truck.
Report the Accident
If you're ever involved in an accident involving a garbage truck, you need to report the incident immediately. The driver may suggest that you simply trade information, but that's not the best way to protect your rights. Once the driver leaves the scene, they may try to pass blame onto you. Unfortunately, if you haven't filed a police report, you may not have a leg to stand on when it comes to fighting for your rights. During the on-scene investigation, the officer will document the entire accident, providing a clearer picture of the cause. The police report will provide you with the documentation you need to prove liability for the accident.
Document the Accident Scene
In addition to the police report, you're also going to need visual documentation of the accident scene. You'll get that documentation by taking plenty of pictures of the scene. You want to make sure that you get pictures of the vehicles before they're moved. Those pictures will show where your car is in relation to the garbage truck. If injuries prevent you from leaving your car, pass your phone to a witness and have them take pictures of the scene for you. Be sure to have them take pictures of your injuries.
Identify the Responsible Parties
When you're involved in a car accident with a garbage truck, you need to take steps to identify the responsible parties. You may think that responsibility rests with the company that owns the truck, but that might not be the case. If the garbage company is contracted by the city to provide services, they may share responsibility for the accident. Before you proceed with a claim, be sure you properly identify all responsible parties.
Hire the Right Accident Attorney
Finally, if you've been involved in a car accident with a commercial garbage truck, make sure you hire the right attorney. You're going to need an attorney who has experience with commercial vehicle accidents, especially if you'll be going up against the city that hired the garbage company.
Contact local commercial vehicle wreck attorneys to learn more.