Following a truck accident, seeking necessary medical attention should always be your top priority. However, if you are able to remain at the scene, you should always make sure to give your full version of events to any reporting police officers so they can put it in their report. Furthermore, once you receive the report, if any versions of what you said at the scene are incomplete or inaccurate, you always want to get the report amended to reflect the true course of events from your point of view. However, too many people mistakenly wait until they receive the police report to contact an attorney. You should always contact a Coweta County truck accident attorney as soon as possible following an accident so he can get started on your case immediately.
Many people believe they can win a truck accident case based on the information in a police report. However, this is rarely the case and usually additional evidence is required to prove fault. Often, if there was no apparent criminal activity, police will be less careful in making sure the report is careful and accurate. Though police exist to help the public, they are often more concerned with criminal activity than civil liability in an accident. Furthermore, police often include the wrong type of information for your case as these reports are meant more for record-keeping and statistical purposes. Therefore, there might not be much substance in the report that helps show fault. This does not mean a report is never helpful, however, because if the report does state the accident was the truck driver’s fault, it may be helpful in settlement negotiations or to sway a judge or jury. However, you cannot count on it to be conclusive.
The most important thing in a truck accident case is a thorough investigation, which your truck accident lawyer will need to begin as soon as possible. Therefore, do not wait for a police report before you call Shane Smith Law at (980) 246-2656.