It makes sense for healthcare workers to feel the pressure of COVID-19 and its rampant case increase on Americans, but what the country did not anticipate was the burden it would place on our supply chain workers. Everything from toilet paper and dog food to soup and ground beef flies off the shelves faster than can be stored. Also, more people are ordering things online that cannot be found at grocery stores or from businesses that have temporarily closed their physical locations.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, commercial delivery trucks account for about 58 percent of all miles driven by commercial vehicles. There are almost 2 million semi-trailers and around 5.6 million 18-wheelers in operation in the U.S.
However, with the increasing demand for supplies and groceries, some truckers continue to look for shortcuts, endangering the lives of Americans at higher rates than before COVID-19. If you are involved in an accident with one of these drivers, you will benefit from consulting with an experienced Texas truck accident attorney.
COVID-19 IN TEXAS
The presence of COVID-19 in Texas is unmistakable. Texans are ordered by the government to stay home unless obtaining essential food and items, visiting a health care provider, or performing an essential job. Those who leave their home are mandated to keep a six-foot distance from anyone who does not live in their home.
HOW COVID-19 AFFECTS THE TRUCK INDUSTRY
Many Americans have been surprised by the demand for food and household items that COVID-19 has sparked. Instacart, Shipt, Amazon, Walmart, and many other similar companies face a sharp and sudden increase in demand for delivery services.
The two-hour grocery delivery service is now a part of the list of luxuries that have ceased to exist in light of the current crisis. Now, getting a two or three day wait time for online grocery delivery is similar to winning the lottery. If a customer is lucky enough to even find delivery as an option to receive food, they are waiting much longer than ever. Several days for delivery is now the norm.
RECENT TRUCK ACCIDENTS IN TEXAS
You may think that you will never be involved in an accident with a truck. Truck drivers and victims of these accidents probably thought the same thing.
Whether your accident involves a semi-trailer truck or a delivery truck, a PMR Law truck accident attorney can evaluate your case and provide you with the next steps to take.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE INJURED IN A TRUCK ACCIDENT?
If you are injured in a truck accident, what you do right after and over the next few days can have a tremendous impact on your physical and financial recovery. Consider the following do’s and don’ts after getting injured in a truck accident:
GET MEDICAL ATTENTION
Obtaining medical care should be your immediate priority, whether you are taken by ambulance to your local hospital, go to nearby urgent care the next day, or make an appointment with your own doctor. This not only benefits your physical recovery but also assists in documenting your injuries, increasing the chances that your injury claim will be successful.
If your doctor or another member of the health care team recommends specific tests, follow-up, or ongoing care or therapy, be sure to follow their instructions. Failure to do so not only delays your physical recovery but can be detrimental to your case, as it may show an unwillingness to improve on your part and makes the insurance company question your injuries.
HIRE AN EXPERIENCED TEXAS TRUCK ACCIDENT ATTORNEY
Just when you visit a doctor to help you with your physical recovery, you will want to see a Texas truck accident attorney help you with your financial and legal recovery after a delivery truck accident. It is imperative that you meet with a Texas truck accident attorney as soon as possible to ensure that you are taking the right steps. If you were injured, your attorney can go to work right away, investigating your accident and writing a demand letter. If necessary, your Texas truck accident attorney will negotiate a settlement or litigate your case on your behalf.
REFRAIN FROM THE USE OF SOCIAL NETWORKS
Although social media platforms like Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook are ideal ways to keep in touch with close and distant friends, family, colleagues, and coworkers (especially in the COVID-19 era), posting in them can make your case more challenging to prove in some cases. You’ll need to discuss the implications of using social media with your Texas truck accident attorney to learn how it can affect your case and determine what actions you should or shouldn’t take on these platforms.
At a minimum, don’t post or talk about your accident or injuries. Your legal counsel may advise that it is best to deactivate your account for the duration of your case, as investigators working for the defense can and will take everything they find and try and use it against you. For example, they can find vacation photos from two summers ago, and they can assume they were taken while you were injured. Or maybe you commented wishing you could take time off from work; They will take every opportunity to twist your words and use them to their advantage.
KEEP A LOG OF ACCIDENTS / INJURIES
Recovering from an injury can be quite overwhelming. Your days can get mixed up and you can forget some important details. Pick up a notebook or start an online journal to document your life after the accident. You’ll want to include things like:
-Your pain and suffering
-How your injury has affected your daily routine or prevented you from doing things you enjoy
-The time you lose at work, either because you are physically unable to work or because you are receiving medical care
-Your detailed account of the accident.
This journal will provide you and your Texas truck accident attorney with valuable evidence to help your case going in the right direction.
TRUCK ACCIDENTS MAY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY
Both delivery trucks and semi-trailers are known to cause serious injury. These vehicles weigh more and are taller than most other vehicles on the road. Its center of gravity is higher, which increases the probability of accidents.
The repercussions of a truck accident can affect a person for life, so it is essential that they receive the compensation they need to manage their current and future medical and living expenses. When you hire a skilled Texas truck accident attorney, you increase your chances of doing so. Common serious injuries suffered by victims in these types of accidents include:
-Back and Neck Injuries: The fragile bones and ligaments in the neck and back are very susceptible to injury. These injuries may not appear immediately.
-Spinal cord injuries: An injury of this magnitude could leave you permanently or temporarily paralyzed. Either way, it may require months or years of treatments, physical therapies, surgery, adaptive devices, and medications.
-Head and Brain Injuries: You could have a small bruise or laceration or a more serious concussion or traumatic brain injury with long-lasting and long-lasting effects.
-Burns – Large trucks have an increased risk of fuel tank rupture when there is an accident, increasing the risk of burns for accident victims. These burns are terribly painful and often cause disfiguration.
-Amputations or disfigurement: Crush injuries and severe burns, as well as other types of injuries, can lead to the need to amputate the limbs or cause disfigurement. You may need continuous medical treatment and even a prosthetic device to function in your daily activities.
-Internal injuries: The force of an airbag deployment can cause blunt trauma to the bladder, spleen, liver, pancreas, kidney, heart, or lungs.
No matter what type of injuries you suffer in a truck accident, you need the services of a reliable Texas truck accident attorney who will work tirelessly to get you the compensation you deserve.
CALL US TODAY FOR A CONSULTATION WITH A TEXAS TRUCK ACCIDENT ATTORNEY
If you or someone you know has been injured in a car accident, don’t let the COVID-19 quarantine prevent you from getting justice. PMR Law is operating at full capacity, and we continue to fight for our clients, using technology and proprietary software to get the job done. Call 832-667-7700 or contact us for a free case evaluation.
PMR Law is considered one of the Best Law Firms of America, by Rue Ratings. Several of our attorneys have been given the honor of being named Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters. The American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys has named our attorneys 10 Best in Client Satisfaction. Speaking of personal injury, Attorney and Practice Magazine awarded our attorneys with Top 10 Personal Injury Attorney distinctions. The National Trial Lawyers have named three of our attorneys as Top 100 attorneys. The Academy of Attorneys has named two of our attorneys as Top 40 Under 40. Our attorneys have been recognized as Best Attorneys of America, by Rue Ratings. PMR Law is a proud member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocate Forum.