Why Truck Drivers Shouldn't Sign Anything After a Crash on the Clock
A truck accident can carry serious consequences. Unfortunately, as the driver of the truck, you may find yourself bearing the brunt of those consequences if you do not pay careful attention to your next steps following the accident.
Avoid signing anything if you had a truck accident on the clock. Instead, contact Moody Law serving the Lakeland and Winter Haven, FL, areato learn more about your next steps.
What Paperwork Could You Be Asked to Sign?
After a truck accident, you may be asked to sign one of two key types of paperwork:
- An admission that indicates that you take responsibility for the accident
- A waiver indicating that you will not hold your company liable for any damages you sustained in the accident
Avoid signing that paperwork before you talk to a lawyer!
Why You Shouldn't Sign Before Talking to a Lawyer
The immediate aftermath of a truck accident can prove difficult to navigate. You may have a lot of paperwork that you have to deal with and a lot of questions you have to answer. However, when possible, you should avoid signing any paperwork related to the accident before you talk to an attorney. These are two key reasons why:
1. You may end up accepting liability for an accident you did not cause.
A driver pulled over in front of you, leaving you without adequate time to hit the brakes. You had enough room to change lanes, but the driver of a smaller passenger vehicle zipped into your space before you had a chance to move all the way over. Often, unsafe actions from other drivers increase the risks of a truck accident. You do not want to bear liability for someone else causing an accident.
If you accept liability for an accident, regardless of whether or not you actually caused it, you may end up with points on your commercial driver’s license. If you acquire too many points, you could actually lose your commercial driver’s license, and potentially your livelihood.
If you talk to an attorney first, on the other hand, you can find ways to prove that the other driver caused the accident and that you should not face consequences for someone else’s actions.
2. You may have the right to pursue compensation from your company.
Trucking companies are under more pressure than ever before as driver shortages and other challenges pile up across the country. In many cases, trucking companies are pushing that pressure toward their drivers, encouraging them to drive longer, ignore federal mandates regarding the time they can spend on the road, and even drive in potentially unsafe conditions. Furthermore, your trucking company may have sent you out in an unsafe vehicle, which could have contributed to the accident occurring.
If you sign a waiver, it could absolve your company of liability for the truck accident and your injuries, even if the company caused or contributed to that situation. If you absolve the company of liability, you may find yourself struggling to get compensation for accident-related damages, including damages your company might owe you.
Contact Moody Law Instead
After your truck accident, contact Moody Law at (863) 733-9090 for our Bartow office or (863) 284-9090 for our Lakeland office. Our attorneys will work with you to provide a better idea of what paperwork you may actually need to sign and how to protect your rights.
