After a truck accident in Boston, your first steps should include getting medical care, reporting the accident, and saving any evidence you can. The steps you take during the hours and days after the crash can affect your health and any insurance claim that follows.
Truck accidents are often more complicated than crashes involving passenger vehicles because they may involve more serious injuries, commercial insurance policies, and several parties. Our Boston truck accident lawyer will investigate the crash and help you pursue a claim for your injuries while you recover.
What to Do Immediately After a Truck Accident in Boston
If you physically can, move to a safe location if remaining in the roadway is dangerous. Call 911, and accept a medical evaluation. A medical professional should examine you even if your injuries seem minor.
Follow instructions from the responding police officers and cooperate with emergency responders. You can also request a copy of the police report for your records.
Why Getting Medical Treatment Soon After a Crash Matters
Seeing a doctor as soon as possible serves two purposes. First, it helps identify injuries before they become more serious. Second, your medical records create documentation that connects your injuries to the truck accident.
Continue attending follow-up appointments and carry out your treatment plan. Gaps in treatment may give an insurance company an opportunity to question how badly you were hurt.
What Evidence Should Be Collected at the Scene?
If you can safely do so, gather as much information as possible before leaving the scene. Helpful evidence includes:
- Photos of every vehicle involved in the crash
- Damage to your vehicle
- The truck’s license plate
- The trucking company’s name
- Road conditions
- Traffic signs or signals
- Skid marks
- Debris
- Vehicle injuries
You can also collect contact information for the truck driver, witnesses, and responding police officers. Small details can become valuable later during the investigation.
What Information Should I Exchange With the Truck Driver?
Exchange names, contact information, driver’s license information, insurance details, and the employer’s name. It is also helpful to write down the truck number or any identifying information displayed on the vehicle.
Commercial trucks are often owned by one company and operated by another. Collecting as much information as possible at the scene can make it easier to identify everyone who may have been involved.
Why Are Truck Accident Cases Different From Car Accidents?
Commercial truck crashes often involve additional evidence that usually is not found in everyday accidents. Your case may involve electronic logging device (ELD) records, driver qualification files, maintenance records, inspection reports, cargo records, GPS data, and black box information.
Some of this evidence may only be available for a limited time. Taking action early can help preserve records before they are lost or destroyed.
Should I Talk to the Trucking Company’s Insurance Adjuster?
You may receive a phone call from the trucking company’s insurance adjuster soon after the accident. The adjuster may ask for a recorded statement, details about your injuries, or your version of how the collision happened.
You do not have to give a recorded statement right away. Truck accident claims can involve serious injuries and several insurance policies. Speaking with a lawyer before answering detailed questions may help protect your claim and prevent misunderstandings about what happened.
Notifying Your Insurance Company About the Truck Crash
Most insurance policies require prompt notice after an accident. However, reporting the crash does not necessarily mean you are accepting fault.
If you talk to your insurance company, provide basic facts about what happened. If you are asked detailed questions or the insurer asks for a recorded statement, you may want legal guidance before responding. Our injury attorney can lead conversations with the insurance company on your behalf.
Who May Be Responsible for a Truck Crash in the Boston Area?
Even though it may seem obvious that the truck’s driver caused the crash, that individual is not always the only person or company that may be responsible.
Depending on what happened, liability may also extend to the trucking company, a business that loaded the cargo onto the truck, a maintenance company, a vehicle or parts maker, or even another driver or road user, such as a pedestrian, whose actions contributed to the collision.
Looking closely at how the collision happened helps determine who should be held responsible.
Do You Need a Lawyer if the Trucking Company Accepts Responsibility?
Even if the commercial trucking company says it is liable for the crash, you may still benefit from legal guidance. Even when liability is clear, disputes often arise over the value of injuries, future medical care, or lost income.
Recoverable Damages After a Boston Commercial Truck Crash
Truck accidents often lead to losses that go far beyond the cost of repairing a vehicle. Depending on your situation, you may be able to recover damages for medical bills, future treatment, lost income, reduced earning capacity, and damage to your vehicle.
A claim may also include damages for pain and suffering, emotional distress, or permanent injuries that affect your everyday life. The value of a case depends on the evidence and the full effects of the accident.
What if a Family Member Died in a Truck Accident in Boston?
A fatal truck accident can bring emotional and financial hardships for the families left behind. Massachusetts allows certain surviving family members to pursue wrongful damages allowed under state law.
If your loved one suffered fatal injuries in a commercial truck accident, we are sorry for your loss. Our Boston wrongful death lawyer will explain your family’s legal options, investigate what happened, and help you understand the next steps during this difficult time.
Can You Recover Damages if You Were Partly At Fault?
In some situations, an injured person may still recover damages only if they are 50% or less at fault for the accident. Any recovery may be reduced based on their percentage of fault.
If a person is 51% or more at fault, they won’t be able to recover damages.
How Long Do I Have to File an Injury Lawsuit in Massachusetts?
In many cases, Massachusetts gives injured people three years to file a personal injury lawsuit arising from a motor vehicle accident, per Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 260, § 2A. Wrongful death claims generally follow the same three-year deadline under state law.
Speaking with a lawyer early allows the investigation to begin well before any legal deadline approaches.
Mistakes to Avoid After a Truck Crash
Even small mistakes after a truck accident can make it harder to recover damages. Some of the most common ones to avoid include:
- Delaying medical treatment.
- Throwing away evidence that could support your claim.
- Getting your vehicle fixed before the damage is documented.
- Guessing about how the crash happened.
- Posting about the accident online.
- Accepting the first settlement offer without understanding your losses.
- Waiting too long to speak with an attorney.
Taking careful steps early can help the claims process.
Talk to Earley Law Group About What to Do After a Truck Accident in Boston
After a truck accident in Boston, getting reliable legal guidance early can help the claims process. At Earley Law Group, every client receives personal attention because they are never treated like just another case file.
Since 2006, our firm has recovered millions for injured clients and brings more than 25 years of experience to every case. We provide white-glove client service, work on a contingency fee basis, can connect clients with medical resources, and travel for consultations when needed.
Call Earley Before It’s Too Late!™ If you have questions about what to do after a truck accident in Boston, we are here to explain your options during a free consultation. Help is available 24/7.