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What to Do After a Truck Accident in Chicago and How to Protect Your Case

In the moments after a semi-truck crash, it can feel like your life has turned upside down. You’re suddenly dealing with physical pain, emotional trauma, and a difficult financial situation. It’s enough to overwhelm even the most composed person.

While it may not be easy, pausing to collect yourself and calmly approaching the situation can have a positive impact on the outcome of your truck accident settlement. Conversely, taking the wrong actions when your emotions are running high can undermine your claim.

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Protect Yourself with These Critical Steps

To ensure that you know what to do after a truck accident in Chicago, Lane Brown, LLC has put together this guide to steer you in the right direction:

  • Step 1: Seek Medical Attention
  • Step 2: Call 911 and Get a Police Report
  • Step 3: Take Photos of the Crash Scene
  • Step 4: Don’t Talk to the Trucking Company’s Insurance Company
  • Step 5: Keep Track of Everything
  • Step 6: Contact a Lawyer as Soon as Possible
  • Why Acting Quickly Matters

Step 1: Seek Medical Attention

Your safety comes first. Even if you feel okay after the accident, get checked out by medical professionals right away. Many life-threatening injuries, such as brain trauma, internal bleeding, or spinal damage, don’t show symptoms immediately. Without prompt medical attention, these injuries can worsen and cause lifelong impairments. Fortunately, Chicago Fire Department paramedics often arrive shortly after truck crashes within city limits.

Seeing a medical professional creates documentation that proves you were injured. Our commercial truck accident lawyers will use any medical records and treatment plans to generate a more accurate list of damages that cannot be denied by the liable party.

Failing to seek prompt medical treatment can give insurers the false impression that your injuries aren’t serious. For instance, if you refuse treatment from an ambulance after a semi-truck crash, only to later realize that you had damage to your spine, insurance companies can claim that you falsified or oversold the extent of your injuries.

Step 2: Call 911 and Get a Police Report

Always call the police, even if the big rig driver tries to downplay the damage or suggests handling it privately. A police report creates an official record of the crash that serves as crucial evidence during a truck accident settlement. When you dial 911, a Chicago police officer or Cook County sheriff will respond to the call. Once on-scene, the officer documents:

  • Road and weather conditions
  • Damage to each vehicle
  • Driver and witness statements
  • Any violations or citations

While speaking to the responding officer, be respectful, honest, and brief. Do not admit fault, apologize, or say anything that places liability on you. Statements made at the scene can be used against you later, especially by trucking company attorneys looking to limit their exposure. Request a copy of the police report as soon as it becomes available. In most cases, we’ll request a copy for you, provided we were hired shortly after the accident. Once we receive the report, we’ll review it for accuracy and use it during negotiations.

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Step 3: Gather Photo and Video Evidence

If you’re physically able, use your phone to document the scene immediately after the crash. This evidence can prove invaluable at the negotiation table. Capture photos of the following:

  • Damage to all vehicles
  • Your injuries
  • Skid marks, broken glass, and debris
  • Road conditions (potholes, uneven paving, faded lane markers)
  • Truck license plate and company name
  • Road signs, traffic signals, and surrounding conditions
  • Weather conditions (snow, black ice, heavy rain, etc.)

Additionally, while you have the chance, use your phone’s note-taking software to write down your memories of how the accident happened. Your memories are freshest at this point, and what you write down will prove useful as time goes on and you forget some details about the crash. This is one of the most important parts of what to do after an 18-wheeler truck accident, and it can give your legal team a significant advantage over the liable party while negotiations take place.

Step 4: Do Not Speak to Insurance Companies

You may get a call from a representative of the trucking company’s insurance provider within days, or even hours, of your crash. They may sound sympathetic. They might even offer you a quick settlement.

Don’t fall into this trap.

Insurance adjusters work for the trucking company, not for you. Their goal is to protect the company’s bottom line by giving you less than you deserve. If you talk to them, anything you say could be used against you during settlement negotiations.

When these companies call, do not provide a statement, do not accept a settlement, and do not sign anything.

Instead, tell them to contact your truck accident lawyer at Lane Brown, LLC. We know what to do after a commercial truck accident to prevent insurance companies from taking advantage of you.

Step 5: Document Every Expense and Symptom

Start keeping detailed records of treatment plans and expenses as soon as possible. This documentation helps your attorney prove damages to ensure you get full compensation. Here’s what to keep:

  • Medical bills and treatment plans
  • Receipts for prescriptions, medical devices, or travel to appointments
  • Notes on your daily pain, discomfort, or limitations
  • Proof of missed work or lost income
  • Repair estimates or total loss valuation for your vehicle
  • Any correspondence related to the accident

We also recommend starting a “recovery journal” to track your physical and emotional state. This can be valuable when calculating non-economic damages like pain and suffering.

The more detailed you are about record keeping, the stronger your case will be, and the more leverage your commercial truck accident lawyer in Chicago will have over the liable party.

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Step 6: Contact a Truck Accident Attorney in Chicago Immediately

When considering what to do after a truck accident, this step is the most important if you want to win a settlement. Navigating Chicago’s court system and battling against the seasoned legal representatives of a trucking company is much easier when you have a capable attorney by your side.

Lane Brown, LLC’s Chicago truck accident lawyers know how to investigate the scene, secure time-sensitive evidence, and file claims against all responsible parties. We’ll also handle all the filing requirements and negotiations, giving you space to recover rather than deal with time-consuming legal matters. With our help, you can rest easy knowing that your case is in capable hands.

Have More Questions About What to Do After a Truck Accident? Call Now for a Free Consultation

Truck accident cases are serious. You’re not just up against a negligent driver—you’re going up against a multi-million-dollar company and its legal team. They know how to defend themselves. You need someone who knows how to fight back.

Our Chicago truck accident lawyers have handled hundreds of thousands of high-stakes cases and helped countless crash victims recover the compensation they deserve.

If you were seriously injured in a semi-truck accident, don’t wait to reach out. Schedule a free consultation by calling (312) 332-1400 now and let us start fighting for the compensation you’re owed.

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What to Do After a Truck Accident FAQ

How is a truck accident different from a regular car accident in terms of liability?

Determining who is liable for a truck accident is significantly more complex than figuring out who is responsible for a car accident.

In a typical car accident, there are usually only two parties involved: the drivers. This makes determining liability straightforward in most cases. But in a commercial truck accident, multiple parties may share responsibility, and each of them will do everything they can to avoid paying the accident victim.

Here’s what makes determining truck accident liability different from other types of auto accidents:

Multiple liable parties: The truck driver, trucking company, maintenance contractor, and the cargo loading company are all potentially liable for big rig crashes. Identifying all responsible parties and correctly assigning liability requires an in-depth investigation.
Federal and state regulations: Trucking companies and drivers must follow strict rules set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Safety violations can make a truck driver or company liable, even if the same actions wouldn’t constitute negligence for a car driver.

Due to the complications these factors can cause, proving fault after a truck accident in Chicago requires a legal team experienced in commercial trucking litigation. If you were seriously injured, hire a dedicated Chicago truck accident lawyer instead of attempting to negotiate with a trucking company by yourself.

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Get Answers, Contact Us Now request a consultation

OR CALL NOW 312-332-1400