Philadelphia is a large, densely populated city full of crowded and confusing streets. Every day, commercially owned and operated vehicles such as tractor-trailers navigate these streets while carrying large shipments of heavy goods. Unfortunately, conditions like these result in a lot of bad accidents and thousands of injuries and deaths every year. A tractor trailer accident is among the most devastating accidents that can happen on our roads.
Often times these incidents result in death or serious bodily injury. Special laws apply to these operators that regulate weight, equipment, and safety standards. If these laws are broken and as a result an accident occurs, there may be multiple parties responsible, including the driver, tractor-trailer owner, mechanics and inspectors responsible for compliance with the law. Often times where vehicle violations are present, it is fairly easy to establish negligence and recover damages for wrongful death and serious bodily injury. We have the resources to stand up against insurance companies and the trucking industry to ensure that those injured or family members of those killed receive the compensation they deserve.
However, these regulations do little to mitigate the affect of a tractor trailer colliding with a non-commercial vehicle. If you are involved in a such an accident, here are a few simple do’s and don’ts:
- Do immediately call for medical help if someone is injured.
- Do call the police. They will document the accident and gather important facts which will become crucial for legal purposes.
- Do exchange information with the other parties involved, such as address and phone number. If it’s a car accident get the license plate number; make, model and year of the vehicle; driver’s insurance information; car registration number; driver’s license number.
- Do not panic. Remain calm and call for help.
- Do not leave the scene of the accident.
- Do not discuss the accident with anyone or blame anyone, including yourself, as there may be other facts of which you are not aware that may ultimately change the appropriation of fault. An experienced tractor-trailer accident attorney will best determine who is at fault once all of the facts are known.
- Do not forget to document and take pictures of all damages, especially your vehicle, if in a car accident.
- Do not wait. The longer you wait to get legal advice, the more difficult it may become to gather important evidence, prevent mistakes within the insurance claims process and get you the best treatment possible for you particular injury.
At Kosacci Law Firm, P.C., we specialize in the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code and we can thoroughly evaluate your claim. Contact Kosacci Law Firm, P.C. for a free initial consultation.
