What Are the Steps I Should Take After a Truck Accident?

Key Takeaways

• Police reports can help attorneys investigate a crash, reconstruct events, and establish liability afterward.
• Statements made to the other driver’s insurance company can be used against an injured victim.
• New York law generally requires personal injury lawsuits to be filed within three years of a crash.
• Truck accident claims usually involve multiple liable parties, federal regulations, and aggressive insurance tactics.
• Truck accident victims may recover damages for medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering.

A collision with a commercial truck rarely unfolds like an ordinary car accident, and it rarely resolves like one either. Federal trucking regulations, multiple liable parties, and aggressive insurance tactics can complicate a claim from the very first phone call. Knowing what to do after a truck accident in Long Island can directly determine how quickly you recover and how much compensation you are able to pursue.

A Long Island truck accident lawyer at Law Office Of Cohen & Jaffe can guide you through each of these obstacles, from preserving evidence in the earliest hours after the crash to standing beside you through every negotiation that follows.

Steps to Take After a Truck Accident

Calling the police after a truck accident is essential, even when the damage looks minor, especially if you suffered an injury. Our attorneys may use the resulting report to conduct a parallel investigation, engage experts to reconstruct the accident, establish liability, and advise you on your legal options. Getting a copy of that report early can strengthen your position if you decide to pursue a claim.

Here are several other steps to consider taking after a truck accident, including the following:

Get Witnesses’ Contact Information

If you are able, you should gather contact information from individuals who witnessed the crash. Our team will interview them to get details about what occurred.

Take Photos and Videos

If it is safe to do so, take pictures or videos that showcase the damage to your vehicle, the other driver’s license plate, the weather conditions, the roadway conditions, and any other factors that may have played a role in the accident.

Continue Following Your Doctor’s Orders

You should obey your doctor’s orders until you have recovered or reached maximum medical improvement. A failure to follow your doctor’s orders can give the insurance company the opportunity to deny your claim or allege that you are contributing to your injuries.

Keep Evidence in a Safe Place

Be sure to gather any documents, photos, or videos and keep them safe. This can help us investigate your accident and gather evidence more quickly, especially when improperly secured cargo is a possible factor and loading records may disappear fast.

Avoid Speaking to the Other Party’s Insurance Company

The other party’s insurance company may call you soon after the accident. Anything you say during this call can be used against you. Instead of risking your right to compensation, you can direct the insurance adjuster to discuss your accident with a member of our team instead.

Call Our Firm to Discuss Your Case

Consider working with a Long Island truck accident lawyer to discuss your legal options moving forward. Our attorneys may advise against giving statements to the other driver’s insurance company until they review the details of your case.

Depending on the case, we can contact your insurance company on your behalf and inform them about the accident, so you do not have to navigate that conversation alone. We can also guide you on what information to share and what to hold back until your case has been fully evaluated.

Recovering Damages After a Truck Accident

The types of damages you qualify for may change depending on the state in which your accident occurred. In Long Island, truck accident victims may receive compensation for the following:

• Medical expenses
• Property damage
• Disfigurement
• Disabilities
• Lost income
• Diminished earning capacity
• Pain

Our team can also explain how the insurance claims process will work in your case.

New York Reporting Deadlines

Knowing what to do after a truck accident starts with understanding how little time the law allows for taking action. One detail people usually miss is how quickly the filing deadline approaches after a collision with a commercial truck.

Under the New York Civil Practice Law and Rules § 214, most personal injury lawsuits, including those arising from a truck accident, must be filed within three years of the crash date. Missing this window can permanently bar recovery, regardless of how serious the injuries are or how clearly the trucking company was at fault. New York courts rarely grant exceptions once the statutory window closes, even when liability is clear. Evidence disappears, memories fade, and trucking companies may begin building their defense before an injured driver even leaves the hospital.

Rather than waiting to see how an insurance claim unfolds, injured drivers benefit most from speaking with a Long Island truck accident lawyer early, since preserving evidence can directly affect the outcome of a claim.

The Role of a Truck Accident Attorney

Hiring legal counsel gives you the freedom to focus on your recovery while our attorneys dedicate themselves to your case. We can be there for you during all the crucial parts of your claim, from start to finish.

This support is valuable if you have suffered serious injuries that require extensive rehabilitation or long-term medical attention. Navigating a truck accident claim involves federal trucking regulations, multiple liable parties, and aggressive insurance tactics, and our team can handle that complexity so you can focus on healing.

Some of our services may include:

• Negotiating settlements
• Calculating case values
• Offering legal guidance
• Obtaining evidence
• Proving liability
• Filing insurance claims
• Handling insurance companies
• Civil litigation

Working with our firm means you do not have to face these challenges alone.

Call Us Today for a Free Consultation

Truck accident claims move quickly, and the choices you make in the days after a crash, from preserving evidence to avoiding a recorded statement, can shape the outcome of your case. At Law Office Of Cohen & Jaffe, we can help Long Island families understand what to do after a truck accident and seek the compensation they deserve. Contact us today at (516) 358-6900 for a free consultation.