What to Do After a Truck Accident in Arizona

If you are searching for what to do after a truck accident in Arizona, chances are you have already been injured, and you just need help. Burg Simpson is here to take that call. With more than five decades of experience helping victims of truck crashes seek fair and full compensation, our dedicated attorneys can review your case free of both charge and obligation to help you understand your rights and choose how best to proceed with your claim.

Truck Accidents Are Different

Truck accidents involve large vehicles, more severe injuries, commercial insurance policies, corporate defense teams, and evidence that can disappear quickly. This makes swift action from a qualified lawyer all the more important. What to do after a truck accident in Arizona first is to select a lawyer who can protect you against unfair treatment, deal with pushy insurance tactics, and help you pursue the total compensation you are owed.

A serious truck accident can leave you facing medical bills, missed work, vehicle damage, and unanswered questions about who is responsible. Burg Simpson’s Phoenix truck accident lawyers help injured people throughout Arizona pursue compensation. Call us at 602-777-7000 to schedule your cost-free consultation and let us help you obtain the justice you deserve.

What Should You Do After a Truck Accident in Arizona

Immediately After a Truck Accident:

Call 911 and Report the Crash

Call 911 right away if anyone is hurt, traffic is blocked, a commercial truck is involved, cargo is spilled, or there may be dangerous materials on the road. Many truck accidents on I-10, I-17, Loop 101, Loop 202, US-60, SR-51, and other Phoenix-area roads involve fast-moving traffic, multiple vehicles, and serious hazards that emergency personnel need to be informed of.

Arizona law requires drivers involved in crashes causing injury, death, or damage to provide identifying information and render reasonable assistance to injured people. Arizona law also requires a written accident report when an officer investigates a crash involving bodily injury, death, property damage over $2,000, or a citation.

A police report can help document when the crash happened, who was involved, what witnesses said, and whether any traffic violations were involved. It might not be the final say when it comes to liability, though. Having your crash investigated by an experienced truck crash attorney helps to ensure you are not burdened with liability for a collision you did not cause.

Exchange Information

Get the information you need, but do not argue about fault at the scene. Try to collect:

• The truck driver’s name and contact information
• Driver’s license name and contact information
• Insurance information
• Trucking company name
• Employer or carrier information
• License plate and trailer numbers
• USDOT number, if available
• Names and phone numbers of witnesses

Gather Evidence

If you are physically able and it is safe to do so, take photos and videos before vehicles are moved. This can be especially helpful after crashes in Phoenix construction zones, desert highways, dust storm conditions, or busy commercial corridors.

Useful evidence may include:

• Visible injuries
• Vehicle damage from multiple angles
• Truck cab, trailer, company logo, and USDOT number
• License plates on the tractor and trailer
• Skid marks, debris, gouge marks, and broken glass
• Road signs, traffic lights, lane markings, and construction signs
• Weather, lighting, and road conditions
• Cargo spills or unsecured loads
• Airbag, seatbelt, and interior vehicle damage
• Witness and nearby businesses with possible camera footage

Do not risk your safety to collect evidence, and do not worry if your injury made the collection of evidence impossible. Your 18-wheeler wreck attorney can work with crash scene reconstruction specialists to gather the information necessary to support your claim.

Get Medical Care As Soon As Possible

Truck accidents can result in concussions, internal injuries, spinal trauma, broken bones, soft tissue injuries, burns, emotional trauma, and more. Some symptoms may not fully appear until hours, days, or even weeks later.

Prompt medical care protects your health. It also creates records that connect your injuries to the crash. If you wait too long, an insurance company might argue that your injuries were not serious or were caused by something other than the crash.

Protect Yourself (Get a Lawyer)

When you are injured in a collision with a semi-truck, the odds are already stacked against you. Trucking companies, their insurers, and their defense attorneys are skilled at fighting these claims, clouding issues of liability, and reducing their financial burden to victims of serious injury. It is very common for them to get to work almost right away to try to convince you to take their settlement offer. Talk to a lawyer first.

Before you accept anything from an insurance company, talk to a trusted truck accident lawyer about your options. Once you have accepted an insurance offer, you may be unable to pursue additional compensation. This matters because most insurance offers are well below what is truly needed to make a full recovery.

What Should You Avoid Doing After an Arizona Truck Accident?

Knowing what to do after a truck accident in Arizona is important. Equally important? Knowing what not to do.

Do Not Admit Fault

Arizona follows a comparative negligence rule. If you are found to be partly at fault for your crash, your damages will be reduced in proportion to your share of fault. That means careless statements after a crash can come back to bite you.

Do not say anything like:

• I am sorry
• I did not see you
• I should have stopped sooner
• I am okay
• It was probably my fault

Without an investigation, it can be hard to tell what caused an accident. Stick to basic facts when speaking with police, medical providers, insurance adjusters, and other involved drivers.

Do Not Give a Recorded Statement Without Legal Guidance

The trucking company’s insurer may contact you quickly. They may sound calm and helpful. They are not on your side.

Recorded statements can be used to challenge your injuries, your memory, your timeline, or your versions of events. Before giving a statement, speak with a Phoenix truck accident lawyer who can help you understand what is being requested and why.

Do Not Accept a Fast Settlement

Early settlement offers often arrive before you know the full cost of your injuries. A truck crash may lead to surgery, physical therapy, long-term pain, reduced earning ability, future medical care, and permanent limitations. Early settlements rarely include full coverage for these things.

Do Not Post About Your Crash Online

Insurance companies and defense lawyers may review social media. A photo, comment, check-in, or casual update can be taken out of context. Until your case is resolved, it is best to stay quiet online about the crash, your injuries, or your activities.

How a Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer from Burg Simpson Can Help

Wondering what to do after a truck accident in Arizona? Call Burg Simpson. We have the resources, experience, and courtroom strength to handle even the most serious truck crash claims.

Our firm has recovered more than $2 billion in verdicts and settlements for clients, not by backing down to powerful interests, but by standing up to them. Truck accident claims might involve trucking companies, corporate insurers, and experienced legal teams working against you. You deserve a legal team that fights even harder to protect your rights.

Depending on the specifics of your case, we can:

• Investigate the crash
• Work to identify all responsible parties
• Work with accident reconstruction experts
• Review medical records and future care needs
• Handle communications with insurers
• Fight for full compensation
• Prepare your case for trial when needed

Truck accident claims require speed, precision, and a law firm that knows how to stand up for the injured. Bringing 50+ years of experience to every case, Burg Simpson has the background and strength you need to help secure every penny you are due.

Schedule a No-Cost Case Review With an Arizona Truck Accident Attorney

What to do after a truck accident in Arizona is often as simple as contacting an attorney. If you were injured in a truck crash, use our online contact form or call our Phoenix office to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation with one of our semi-truck accident lawyers today.