Countless trucks come through Bethlehem daily, but not all drivers act with the care they should. If a negligent trucker injures you, our lawyers can help you get justice through a legal claim.

Our team understands that truck accident victims tend to have serious damages that will affect them long into the future. With rising medical expenses and other losses, you want a firm that knows how to accurately assess your full range of losses and how to recover them. While a lawsuit is the best way to cover your losses totally, we can first turn to your insurance for coverage. Since insurance is often insufficient to cover your damages and will not pay economic losses, we will file a lawsuit along with your claim.

Contact Leeson & Leeson at (610) 890-6332 for a free case assessment with our truck accident attorneys.

What You Should Do After Getting Injured in a Bethlehem, PA Truck Accident

Being involved in a Bethlehem truck accident is often overwhelming as most of us do not expect to be involved in such a serious collision. Although you will likely be reeling from the incident and adrenaline, you should take several steps while on the scene to protect yourself when you take legal action later to recover compensation. Some steps are mandatory, while others will help our car accident attorneys locate evidence and prove liability. The following discussion will prepare you if you are injured in a truck accident:

Move to a Safe Location

If your injuries do not prevent you from safely moving, get to a safe area after your truck accident. Truck accidents can result in devastating scenes, with debris strewn across the road. Other negligent drivers can easily cause secondary accidents if they fail to notice the wreckage. Thus, move off the road if possible and wait for law enforcement and emergency services to arrive. If you cannot safely get out of your car, wait for fire and emergency personnel to extract you.

Call 911

Calling the police to investigate your truck accident is not only a good idea for your lawsuit, but 75 Pa.C.S. § 3746(a) also requires it if the accident involves injury or death to a party or if any vehicle is damaged to the extent that it must be towed. Considering that even minor truck accidents often meet the legal standard, you will likely need to report the accident.

Even if this were not the law, you would still need to report your accident to recover damages for your injuries. Insurance companies typically require them for proof of your accident. Our lawyers also have numerous uses for your police report, including getting the investigating officer’s opinions and observations, identifying witnesses, and learning the trucker’s details and the company that employs them. Once the accident report is available, our team can help you get a copy.

Exchange Information

You are legally required to exchange information with the truck driver, according to § 3744(a). You and the trucker must exchange names, addresses, registration information, and insurance details. You should also get the name of the trucking company and their relevant details. This information should also be included in your police accident report.

When exchanging information with the truck driver, only discuss the details you are required to give, like those above. Do not discuss the accident or what each person did or did not do during it. You can never be sure how the other side will twist your words, so say nothing that could be construed as taking blame.

Gather Evidence

Our team will gather evidence throughout your case, but you can collect some important information while still on the scene. This is typically the only time to gather this evidence since the accident scene will be cleaned soon after the crash.

For instance, you can take photos of the scene and your injuries with your phone. Start by taking pictures of the vehicles, paying particular attention to the damage done, including photographing any debris you notice around the scene. Also, photograph important details, like traffic lights, intersections, and anything else you think will be useful later.

If you notice eyewitnesses on the scene, try to speak with them before going to the hospital. Get their name and contact information so we can get these details later. If you did not notice or talk to witnesses, we will review your police report to see if any are identified.

Get Medical Care and Contact Our Firm

You should get medical treatment at the scene and in the emergency room afterward. Once you are discharged, we can help you obtain further care while preparing your claim. One of the first steps we will take is to determine how long you have to file your claim. Under 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524(2), you only have two years to file a truck accident lawsuit, and the clock starts running the moment you are injured.

Recovering Compensation After a Truck Accident in Bethlehem, PA

Unfortunately, recovering compensation for a truck accident is not straightforward in Bethlehem. Your insurance can limit your right to sue depending on the type of policy you have. According to 75 Pa.C.S. § 1705, drivers can elect either a “limited tort” alternative or the “full tort” option when selecting their insurance. If you have the full tort option, no limits will be placed on your ability to file a lawsuit to recover both economic and non-economic damages. If you have the limited tort option, you can only recover economic losses up to your policy limit but cannot file a lawsuit for pain and suffering.

In these cases, we must show the court your injuries are “serious.” Under § 1702, serious injuries include death, significant impairment to a body function, or significant disfigurement. We can also file a lawsuit despite this option in DUI cases or when the vehicle is registered in another state.

Contact Our Bethlehem, PA Truck Accident Attorneys Today to Discuss Your Case

For a free case review with our truck accident attorneys, call Leeson & Leeson at (610) 890-6332.