When you have been in a collision with a truck, you probably know the things you should do in the 24 hours following the accident, but it may not be easy to prioritize. Specifically, whether you should call an attorney or your insurance provider. Unlike police or EMS, calling your insurance company is not a matter of safety. While an attorney may not be a matter of physical safety, it is often a matter of legal security. This is why our Pennsylvania truck accident lawyer at Munley Law often recommends that you contact an attorney before speaking with any insurance representative.
Call an Attorney After a Truck Accident, Not Your Insurance Carrier
When you have been involved in a truck accident, you are immediately tasked with countless phone calls and things to handle to get your life back on track. However, when the immediate threat has passed, an attorney should be your first call, even before notifying your insurance company.
One of the reasons for this is that time is of the essence when it comes to handling a truck accident. The Munley Law team of truck accident lawyers will get to work within hours of your phone call to begin filing motions and preserving evidence that may be difficult to recover later.
Many insurance providers, whether your own or the provider for the trucking company, will begin requesting information and providing payout offers within a day or two of your accident. Sometimes, you may still be in the hospital. Every interaction you have with an insurance adjuster can be a liability. When you prioritize speaking with an attorney, you give us the time to get to work before you are caught off guard.
If I Call an Attorney First, How Long Do I Have to Call My Insurance Company After a Truck Accident?
The short answer to this is that Pennsylvania does not require you to report accidents to your insurance provider. However, many policies include clauses that require you to report ‘as soon as possible’ or some will adopt the state accident reporting policy of five days.
The general guidelines are to notify your insurance company and contact the other driver’s insurance policy provider as soon as is convenient, typically within 24-48 hours following the accident. If you were at fault, they need to know about it to begin processing the claim for the other party, but you may have additional time if the truck driver was responsible.
Our firm is available 24/7 to take calls from truck accident victims, allowing you to contact us as soon as possible and speak with a member of our staff, and still report the accident to your insurance company according to the policy requirements.
How Can a Pennsylvania Truck Accident Lawyer Help Me Talk to the Insurance Company?
We say that one of the reasons you should call an attorney first is to ensure you have guidance and representation to protect your rights, but what does that actually mean?
Initially, it may mean we discuss many of the things mentioned above with you. However, once we take on your case, we send a personal injury letter of representation that notifies all involved parties that you have retained us as your attorney and instructs them to direct all future communication to us.
Once we send this letter, you should only hear from the other party if they notify you that they have received it. This flow of communication significantly reduces your interaction with the insurance company and ensures that we can prepare you for any necessary encounters. From this point on, we handle things and reach out to you with updates or to discuss decisions that you need to make.
A Truck Accident Attorney Can Prepare You for Conversations with an Adjuster
Insurance adjusters have a primary goal of reducing payouts on claims, and this is done at your expense. These efforts can range from scrutinizing and questioning every expense you submit to pulling your social media posts and recorded statements to provide their own narrative to use against you.
In many ways, you must think of the insurance company like the police. We recommend that our clients consult with an attorney first. However, if you choose to speak with them, we suggest keeping your statements as brief and concise as possible. Stick to basic facts and avoid volunteering information that they have not explicitly requested.
The adjuster who calls you will likely be conversational and light in their tone, but be mindful of oversharing or making statements that may be misconstrued as an admission of guilt. Avoid providing recorded statements or anything in writing without speaking with a trucking accident attorney to ensure you stay protected.
Calling a Truck Accident Attorney in Pennsylvania First Provides Several Benefits
Too many people wait to contact an attorney. No one wants to overreact in an already stressful situation, so you tell yourself that you’ll try to play it cool until you see signs you need a truck accident attorney, but this can cause you to miss out on valuable opportunities. While it is true that speaking with an attorney can be critical to preventing unnecessary liability issues or accidentally waiving your rights, it can provide you with some additional, more nuanced benefits.
Calling an Attorney Tells the Insurance Company You are Serious
When you work with a firm like Munley Law, it tells the insurance company that you are taking your situation seriously. Our firm has an established reputation in the trucking industry that can encourage companies to engage in good-faith negotiations with fair offers. When you bring us in at the beginning, this message is louder.
The Board-Certified Truck Accident Lawyers with Munley Law Can Save You Valuable Time and Energy
Managing a personal injury case can be a time-consuming and energy-intensive process. When you consider the unique needs of truck accident litigation, it can quickly become overwhelming. Contacting a lawyer sooner rather than later allows us to step in and take more off your plate sooner. This allows you to focus on your injuries and recovery, knowing that we’re handling the rest.
What Can I Do if I Have Already Spoken with the Insurance Companies Before Calling an Attorney?
If you have already spoken with the insurance company before you decided to speak with an attorney, do not stress out. In these circumstances, we are often still able to help you maximize your damages, but be transparent about the interactions you have had. There are many things we can help you navigate, but we can’t help if we don’t know.
Call the Board-Certified Truck Accident Lawyers with Munley Law Today
Whether you’re our first call or our tenth, the board-certified truck accident lawyers at Munley Law are here to help. Our team offers free case consultations, allowing you to call and discuss your situation with no cost or obligation.
We don’t believe that the stress of finances should be a barrier to the legal support you need, so we offer our services on a contingency fee basis. This allows you to rest assured that we won’t bill you for services unless we recover compensation on your behalf. Contact us today for the representation you deserve.
