Nearly 4500 commercial trucks travel through downtown Topeka every day. Another 9,000 heavy trucks take the I-70, east and west of Topeka while over 3000 tractor-trailers travel down I-355 and US-35. That’s almost 17,000 commercial trucks across and around Topeka each day.
With that kind of traffic, it is not surprising that trucks are involved in 17% of all fatal accidents in Kansas. Another obvious fact is that Topeka trucking accidents are often more devastating than crashes involving two passenger vehicles. But victims of trucking accidents often don’t know what to do when involved in a tractor-trailer crash.
Fortunately, Kansas is a no-fault state that follows the comparative negligence law when it comes to accident injuries. This means two things for you if you are hurt in a crash with a tractor-trailer.
- Your own insurance company will cover the preliminary cost of treatment.
- You have the right to seek compensation from the at-fault party.
While you are unlikely to have problems with the first, claiming compensation in a trucking accident can be tricky business, no matter how serious your injuries and even if you are not at all responsible for the crash.
Understanding the true impact of the injuries after a trucking crash takes expertise, both medical and legal. In fact, while a medical professional can assess maximum recovery and the possible disabilities that the injuries may cause, even a doctor cannot calculate the economic impact of it on your life.
Here are some simple rules to follow if you’ve been injured in a trucking accident in Topeka, Kansas.
Don’t Apologize
A simple “sorry” that you say after the accident more as a matter of good social behavior than any real sense of regret can and possibly will be held against you. So, don’t apologize no matter how horrible you feel about the hurt/loss sustained by other involved parties.
Gather Evidence
A lot of vital evidence is at the scene of the accident, and it is likely to get corrupted as people and police approach to help. So, if you are in a physical condition to do so, gather as much of this evidence as possible. Take notes, recordings, and pictures of this evidence instead of relying on your memory.
Seek Medical Care
If you are hurt or simply don’t feel right after an accident, seek prompt medical help. The thing to understand is that some injuries are obvious and shocking but often there are other unknown injuries which may not seem as obvious at first but can be just as serious and have long term impact on your physical and mental well-being.
Obtain a Police Report
After the police arrive and complete the paperwork, do remember to ask for the police report number. Subsequently, this number can be used along with the name of the involved parties and the date of the accident to procure the official accident report from Topeka police department.
Retain Legal Representation
Contact DeVaughn James Injury Lawyers today for a free, no obligation case evaluation and let us handle the insurance companies while you focus on recovering!