If you’re hit by a commercial vehicle in Cincinnati, we recommend that you:
- Call 911
- Have emergency responders and medical professionals examine you for injuries
- Remove yourself from danger without putting yourself at risk for hit-and-run charges
- Discuss how to recover from your losses with an experienced attorney
Our commercial vehicle accident lawyers in Cincinnati have helped accident survivors like you secure over $700 million in damages. We want to give you the tools you need to hold negligent drivers and uncooperative corporations accountable for your recovery.
We know these are some of the hardest days of your life. Let us help you determine what you need to do if you’re hit by a commercial vehicle in Cincinnati.
Call Police Officers Immediately After Your Accident
You should never try to address a commercial vehicle accident on your own. You should always call 911 in the wake of a serious commercial vehicle crash. Remain at the scene of the accident until officers arrive unless you are actively in danger. If staying at the scene puts you at risk for additional injuries, move a safe distance away and inform officers of your concerns.
In this vein, do not chase anyone who attempts to flee from the scene of a commercial vehicle accident. You don’t have the authority to arrest someone who commits a hit-and-run, and pursuing a liable party may put you in additional danger. It is always in your best interest to let police officers secure the party liable for your losses.
Don’t Accept a Settlement Offer Made at the Accident Scene
If you are hit by a commercial vehicle in Cincinnati, do not accept any settlement offers made at the scene of your collision. Your first priorities should be your health and well-being – and what’s more, liable parties cannot force you to accept their settlement offers.
Unfortunately, the settlement offers made at an accident scene will often grossly undervalue the real cost of your truck accident. Moreover, these offers are often made in hopes that you won’t pursue legal action against a negligent driver or corporation at a later date.
You are well within your rights to inform a liable party that you intend to speak with a lawyer about the real value of your accident-related losses. If a liable party tries to intimidate you into accepting an offer, or if an insurance adjuster comes to add pressure to their offer, make sure you can safely leave the scene before calling a Cincinnati truck accident lawyer.
Clearing an Accident Scene
You may have an obligation to move your car away from an accident scene and onto the nearest shoulder, but only if you meet certain criteria. If you’re dealing with serious injuries or need to get a loved one to the hospital right away, you need to prioritize your physical well-being.
Likewise, if you can’t move your car as a result of it being totaled, you can work with police officers and mechanical professionals to discuss how to remove it from the roadway.
All that said, it’s still in your best interest to move away from any dangers present at an accident scene. If you notice that a damaged commercial vehicle is leaking fuel, or if there’s debris on the scene that puts you in harm’s way, make sure you and your passengers can move a reasonable distance away from the crash. Police officers can help move you to a safe distance.
For a free legal consultation, call 614-481-6000
Have Medical Professionals Treat Your Injuries
Your safety in the wake of a truck accident needs to be your top priority. Fortunately, emergency responders can help you address any of your most pressing injuries before providing you with the support and transportation you need to secure additional care.
It’s in your best interest to work with emergency responders after a truck accident, even if you feel like you may safely leave the accident scene. Unfortunately, adrenaline and other stress hormones can make it difficult to tell when you’re actually okay and when you need medical attention.
Working with emergency responders has a side benefit, too. Emergency responders can create the first comprehensive record of your losses in the wake of your accident. You can later use that record to argue that you deserve injury-based compensation from an insurance company or, in some cases, corporations and their commercial drivers.
Schedule a Free Case Consultation With a Cincinnati Commercial Vehicle Lawyer
You don’t have to recover from a commercial vehicle accident alone. Instead, if you’re hit by a commercial vehicle in Cincinnati, you can schedule a consultation with our law firm immediately following your collision. Our Cincinnati personal injury lawyers use these consultations to help you decide:
When to Pursue an Insurance Claim
Everyone on the road in Ohio must maintain at least the state’s minimum liability insurance if they want to legally operate a vehicle on the road. Commercial drivers may even need to invest in additional coverage while also keeping their commercial driver’s licenses up-to-date.
Fortunately, this means that you should have the right to pursue an insurance claim in the wake of a serious accident. However, we recommend working with an attorney to ensure that you:
- Have all of the evidence you need to make a compelling argument for support
- Format your claim as an insurance provider requests
- Protect yourself from phrases or misstated facts that might negatively impact your recovery
- File your claim within a reasonable amount of time, preventing a provider from wrongfully denying your request for support
Even if you do everything right, an insurance company may still go to extreme lengths to deny you a reasonable commercial vehicle settlement. Working with an attorney gives you the means to fight back and allows you to explore other recovery options, including personal injury claims.
When to Pursue a Personal Injury Claim
If an insurance provider won’t communicate with you about your losses, or if you’re struggling to secure a settlement that accurately reflects the value of your losses, don’t panic. You can work with an experienced lawyer to pursue a commercial vehicle accident claim within Ohio’s civil system.
Filing a claim allows you to outline the specific instances of negligence that led to your accident and what kind of settlement you’d like in response. You do not have to go to trial to defend your request. You can instead enter negotiations with a liable party. Your attorney can represent you throughout those negotiations and help you go to trial if the need to do so arises.
Notably, if you want to pursue a personal injury claim against a corporation or independent contractor, you need to file your claim within the two-year deadline established by Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.10(A). You cannot miss this deadline if you want Ohio’s civil courts to recognize your right to legal action.
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Our Team Works on Contingency for Your Benefit
Cooper Elliott and its team of experienced Cincinnati personal injury lawyers are proud to offer legal representation on a contingency fee basis. Our contingency fee agreements ensure that everyone has access to consummate legal advice, no matter their financial situation.
When you come to our office, you can participate in a commercial vehicle accident case consultation free of charge. If you decide to work with our attorneys, that representation comes at no upfront cost. You do not have to put down a deposit or retainer to start working with an attorney.
Cooper Elliott’s attorneys only get paid when our clients win their cases. In other words, you won’t receive a single bill from our office while your case is in progress. This contingency policy benefits you by allowing you to focus entirely on your recovery instead of any additional financial strain.
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Don’t Let Negligent Drivers Upend Your Plans for the Future
Don’t let a negligent commercial driver get away with the negligence that caused your recent accident. There are steps you can take to financially recover from your recent losses. Our experienced Cincinnati, OH, commercial vehicle attorneys can walk you through the process of building an insurance claim or taking a personal injury lawsuit to civil court.
No matter what tools you decide to use while recovering after you’re hit by a commercial vehicle in Cincinnati, you can count on our attorneys to stand by your side. We take pride in making Ohio’s civil system as accessible as possible. You can schedule a free commercial vehicle case consultation with our team today to learn more about our available services.
Call or text 614-481-6000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
