After a car accident involving a commercial truck, you will need to exchange contact information and wait for a police officer to arrive and complete a report. However, some truck drivers might choose to leave the scene of the accident. This can complicate the process of seeking compensation for your injuries.
Costs Associated with an Accident
Receiving compensation from a commercial truck company for your injuries is essential. Even if you are carrying great insurance, you'll have co-pays and deductibles. These can quickly add up. Meanwhile, some commercial truck companies transport trillions of dollars' worth of goods and have the resources to pay for anyone injured by their trucks. Still, some drivers may be concerned with being fired for being responsible for an accident and may choose to flee the scene.
Hit-and-Run Criminal Penalties
Leaving the scene of an accident is considered a serious crime. If the accident leads to severe injury or death, the driver might face decades in prison. Truck drivers have an obligation to stop and stay at the scene of the accident. They must call 911 and wait for the police to arrive. They must also cooperate with law enforcement. If the truck driver does not take these actions, this might hurt his or her civil case in court.
Discovery
Depending on the severity of your injuries, you might be unable to take the steps necessary to find out who was responsible for the hit-and-run until you have recovered. However, in the meantime, you may want to consider speaking with a personal injury attorney who can gather the evidence you need for you.
Steps to Take After the Accident
If possible, make sure to record anything you saw at the scene of the accident. Information that you record before the driver leaves will allow you to determine who the driver was. For example, you may remember the logo found on the side of the truck. There might have been a phone number posted on the truck that can help you track down the driver. Record the license plate if you can. Write down a description of the driver. Then, speak with any witnesses and write down their contact information.
Once you have gathered the necessary information, you can begin civil litigation against the truck driver with the help of a personal injury attorney. Even if the hit-and-run criminal charges are dropped, you can still pursue civil litigation.
