What to Do If I’m in an Accident with an Enterprise Truck in Louisiana?

What to do if I’m in an accident with an Enterprise truck in Louisiana? If you are in an accident with an Enterprise truck in Louisiana, you should make sure everyone is safe, document the accident thoroughly, talk to the police, and speak with a New Orleans moving truck accident lawyer.

Ensure Everyone Is Safe if in an Accident with an Enterprise Truck in Louisiana

Immediately after an accident with an Enterprise truck in Louisiana, take stock of what is happening around you and your injuries. If you are in immediate danger, move yourself out of the way of worsening conditions. Check on others in your vehicle and the other driver of the truck, if it is safe to do so.

Call 911 to request medical assistance if needed and to request that law enforcement arrive at the scene. Doing so, even if you feel okay, protects you from unseen injuries you may have. The police will begin collecting evidence right away.

During this time, protect yourself from making statements that could be used against you later. Avoid making statements to the Enterprise truck driver or others involved in any way when possible. However, please listen to the driver’s instructions and follow them immediately. That could shed light on what caused the accident and help your New Orleans car accident lawyer build a case.

Document the Incident Thoroughly

If you can safely take photos of the incident and the surrounding area, do so. This helps to capture as much detail as possible about the accident before anything leaves the scene or others disrupt it. In the ideal situation, you should take photos of:

• The damage to your vehicle
• Any damage to the Enterprise truck
• Debris in the roadway
• Damage to any structure present, including poles and signs
• Any injuries sustained by those involved
• The license plate of the Enterprise truck

Then, take a slow-moving video of the surrounding area to capture the location and layout of what occurred. This type of evidence helps accident reconstructionists build out the details of your case and may help minimize any lost evidence or gaps in understanding what took place. Be sure to capture the weather conditions, angles of the vehicles, and the surrounding area of the city to demonstrate clearly where it happened.

Gather Information About the Incident

Your next step after an accident with an Enterprise truck in Louisiana is to get all the information that sheds insight into what happened. A good way to do that is to capture information from all involved parties. This may include:

• The name and contact information for the Enterprise truck driver
• The insurance information from the driver, including information about whether they are driving as an employee for Enterprise or if they rented the vehicle (Truck Rental Guide and Requirements)
• The name and contact information for anyone involved, including passengers in your vehicle or the truck
• The name and contact information for anyone who stopped to help or saw what occurred
• The contact information for the Enterprise rental truck office where the vehicle came from

This information may be helpful later to flesh out details or provide more clarity on what happened if the stories from both sides do not match. With this information, your lawyer will be able to contact those involved to obtain the best possible level of insight.

What to Tell the Police at the Scene

After an accident with an Enterprise truck in Louisiana, the police will likely arrive on the scene to collect information and request a statement from you. Provide accurate information about what you were doing, what you saw, and what you experienced without any speculation about what the truck driver could have been doing at the time – unless you saw them engaging in a risky activity. 

Avoid providing any statements that indicate you are at fault, such as apologizing for what happened or saying you were on the phone. Be sure you let your New Orleans personal injury lawyer handle all of the communication for you.

Get Medical Care

As soon as possible after the accident with the Enterprise truck, get medical care. There are two key reasons why you should not wait to get to the emergency room or urgent care after your accident. The sooner you do, the easier it is to prevent worsening health conditions for yourself, and the easier it is for you to demonstrate that your injuries are directly related to the accident.

Head to the hospital and use an ambulance if advised to do so by the responding medical team, or go straight to the doctor after the accident. Be thorough in testing and lab procedures, and allow the ER doctors to conduct a comprehensive examination to identify any potential risks to your health. Be sure to tell the medical team you were in an accident so they can look for non-obvious indications of injuries, such as internal bleeding or whiplash.

Follow up with your medical team as directed, including speaking to your primary care doctor as told to do. Additionally, be sure to return to the hospital immediately if your condition worsens or you develop new symptoms. Complete all recommended therapy and follow the doctor’s orders about not working until you receive approval. All of that can contribute directly to your ability to recover damages later.

Seek the Help of an Enterprise Truck Accident Attorney

You will need to alert Enterprise about the accident and file a claim with the insurance company for your losses. However, by hiring an attorney to do this, you minimize the risk of:

• Your claim is being denied
• Not requesting enough compensation for all of the losses you have
• Making statements that could jeopardize your claim

Because you may have serious injuries and losses, choose an experienced attorney to guide you in creating a claim and negotiating with the insurance company after an accident with an Enterprise truck in Louisiana. 

A skilled New Orleans truck accident lawyer from Scott Vicknair Injury Lawyers can help you hold the truck driver and others involved accountable for all of the losses you have suffered. That could be critical to your future.