What You Can Do

Maryland Car Accident Lawyer

If you have been involved in a truck or auto accident, follow the following steps:

• Assess the situation to see if you or anyone nearby is in imminent danger. If a person is safe and responsive, provide emotional support as necessary until paramedics arrive, but do not move them, as they may have suffered injuries that could be exacerbated by movement.
• Contact the authorities as soon as possible to get medical personnel on the scene to take care of injured persons, and to document the circumstances of the accident. Cooperate fully with the authorities, answer all questions, and provide aid as requested. Often, the police report will help you with your accident claim, as it is seen as an objective assessment of the accident, and your cooperation will be appreciated.
• Gather information as soon as possible about everyone at the scene. Get the names, driver’s license numbers, addresses, and phone numbers of drivers and witnesses. Get license plate numbers on cars involved in the accident, the make and model, VIN, and insurance information. If a commercial truck is involved in the accident, get as much information as you reasonably can. Note major markings on the cab and the trailer, especially if these indicate the two parts of the semi are owned by different entities.
• Do not make any admissions of fault either to the authorities or especially to representatives from your insurance company, the insurance company of another driver, or the trucking company of any commercial vehicles involved. Give purely factual statements to the authorities as requested, and cooperate similarly with your own insurance company to avoid charges of withholding information that could damage your claim.
• Do not take any settlements or sign statements from insurance adjusters or representatives from trucking companies. You are required to give a factual and complete account of the accident to the police, but all other statements are at your discretion. It is the insurance adjuster’s job to save the insurance company money, and they know they can be fired for paying too many claims. They are always looking for an excuse to deny your claim. Don’t give them one, and don’t let them off the hook with a small, quick settlement that does not take into account the full range of your possible damages. To get an idea about the damages you might be eligible to receive, consult our Auto Accident page.
• Seek medical attention if you suffered serious injuries, hopefully paramedics were called to the scene and you were transported by ambulance to the hospital. If not, see a doctor soon after leaving the accident scene. Even if you don’t think you’ve been injured, you should get an exam by a doctor to be sure. You may not be aware of injuries that your doctor is trained to find.
• Contact an accident injury attorney as soon as you can. An experienced accident attorney from Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata, & Siegel P.C. can work with all insurance companies and trucking companies involved in settling your claim. The sooner we get involved in the process, the more we can do to ensure that you receive full compensation for your injuries and damages.

For more information on accidents, consult our auto accident and truck accident questions pages. If you have been involved in an accident in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington D.C. contact the creative and dedicated auto accident lawyers at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata, & Siegel P.C. for a free consultation and case evaluation.