Business
Should I Talk to the Trucking Company If They Contact Me After My Accident?
After an accident with a commercial truck, you may be surprised to get a phone call from the trucking company. However, you should know that they’re not calling out of concern for your wellbeing. They’re calling to collect information they can use against you.
It is common in truck accidents for trucking companies to reach out to injury victims. They may persuade you to give a recorded statement with their insurance company, sign documents, or get you to say something that may be construed as an admission of fault.
If you get a call from the trucking company, you should decline to speak with them. Read on to find out why.
They Will Turn What You Say Against You
You are likely severely injured and in extreme pain following this unfortunate event. The trucking company knows this and is trying to get to you while you’re vulnerable. They will be cordial and polite, but make no mistake about it – their job is to collect information from you while your guard is down. They will then use this information to defend against liability to reduce or eliminate any possible payout.
You must be extremely cautious if you pick up the phone and discover someone from the trucking company is on the line. They may ask those simple courteous questions about how you are doing, and if you robotically reply that you’re fine, it could wind up damaging your case.
Maybe you’ll get lucky and they’ll leave a voice message. You are under no obligation to speak to them yourself. However, if you do answer, be polite and ask for their information. Then let them know that your attorney will be in touch with them soon.
They Will Try to Have You Sign Away Your Compensation Rights
Sometimes, these callers aren’t on a fishing expedition for evidence. Instead, they may be calling you to offer a settlement. This may seem like a huge relief to you since you’re likely contending with big bills resulting from this truck accident.
However, you should never accept this first offer without having a truck accident attorney take a look to make sure it’s fair. Most truck accident victims don’t realize that the serious injuries they have could also cause future costs. They don’t consider the non-economic damages they’ve incurred like mental anguish or loss of enjoyment of life.
They know that you don’t know the full extent of what your case is potentially worth. They hope you’ll be happy they’re making it easy to get your money. Once you accept this settlement, you waive your rights to pursuing anything further.
What You Should Do If Someone from the Trucking Company Calls You
If you get a call from the trucking company, the first thing you should do is get an attorney. Even if you do not have one at the time that the trucking company contacts you, you can simply tell them that your attorney will be in touch.
Injuries from truck accidents are far more serious, and with a lawyer on your side, you’ll have an advocate that ensures the trucking company isn’t trying to take you for a ride.
Kenneth is a proud native of sydney, born and raised there. However, he pursued his education abroad and studied in Australia. Kenneth has worked as a journalist for almost a decade, making valuable contributions to prominent publications such as Yahoo News and The Verge. Currently, he serves as a journalist for The Hear Up, where he focuses on covering climate and science news. You can reach Kenneth at [email protected].
