1. Call 911 and get checked out, even if you feel fine
Adrenaline masks injuries. Back, neck, and head injuries from truck crashes often surface hours or days later. A same-day medical record ties your injuries to the crash, and the defense cannot argue you were hurt somewhere else.
2. Document the scene if you safely can
Photograph the vehicles, the road, skid marks, traffic signs, and your injuries. Get the truck’s DOT number off the cab door, the driver’s license and insurance info, and contact details for any witnesses. If police respond, note the responding agency and report number.
3. Say nothing to the trucking company’s insurer
The carrier’s rapid-response team may call within hours. They are friendly, they record everything, and their job is to shrink your claim. You are not required to give them a statement. Politely decline and refer them to your attorney.
4. Preserve the evidence before it disappears
Trucks carry electronic control module (ECM) data, dashcam footage, driver logs, and dispatch records. Carriers are only required to keep some of this for a short time. A spoliation letter from a lawyer forces them to preserve it now, not after it has been overwritten.
5. Talk to a truck accident lawyer the same day if you can
Truck cases are not car cases. Federal hours-of-service rules, maintenance records, hiring files, and multiple layers of liability all come into play. The earlier your lawyer starts, the more of the evidence survives.
If you were hit by an 18-wheeler in the Houston area, call Armstrong Lee & Baker LLP at (713) 526-3306 for a free case review, or send us a message. There is no fee unless we win.