A stressful situation can cause people to react in peculiar ways. For example, consider what it might be like to be involved in a Warrenton tractor trailer accident. While you’re trying to get your bearings, there’s activity all around you. Emergency medical professionals are helping people who’ve been injured. Traffic is backed up, and people are gawking. Police officers are trying to get information about what happened so they can complete their reports. There could be fire trucks and tow trucks on the scene, and cleanup crews are waiting to clear the debris off the roadway and surrounding areas.
With all of this going on around you, it can be hard to think straight. You might still be trying to piece together exactly what happened, or your mind might already be racing ahead as you contemplate what kind of impact the accident is going to have on your life in the days and weeks to come.
You can easily see how you might forget to ask certain questions while at the scene of the accident, but there are three very important ones that you should try to keep in mind, should you ever find yourself in this situation.
First, ask where the truck driver is employed. This information is crucial because the trucking company could be liable for some or all of the injuries you or your passengers sustain during the crash. It’s important to know who the driver is required to respond to in an emergency such as this, so that everyone is on the same page.
The second vital question to ask is how long the tractor trailer driver has been on the road that day. Truckers are required to keep a log of how long they are on the road and the duration of their rest breaks. The reason for keeping this log is to prevent accidents from happening because of fatigue. If the driver has been on the road too long or has otherwise violated his set number of rest hours, that information will factor into your case.
The third imperative question to ask is what type of cargo the driver is carrying in the truck. Local and long-distance truckers haul all sorts of materials, including toxic and deadly chemicals. If there’s a risk of an explosion or fire because of hazardous substances on the truck, emergency personnel need to be alerted. You also need to know if you’ve been exposed to anything that might adversely affect your health.
With so many different pieces of information to gather during an unexpected incident like a Virginia tractor trailer crash, don’t worry if you can’t remember everything. It just helps to have as much information as possible while it is still fresh.
If you’re not certain which steps to take when the dust begins to settle, it can be helpful to talk to an experienced Warrenton trucking accident lawyer. The attorneys at Dulaney, Lauer & Thomas are here to help you with your case. Contact our office that’s closest to you to set up a free initial consultation.
