What to Do After a Truck Accident in Chicago

Knowing what to do after a truck accident can make a meaningful difference in your physical recovery, financial stability, and legal options. When a truck accident happens on Chicago streets or expressway, whether involving delivery trucks, semi-trucks, or other large commercial vehicles, the aftermath is often overwhelming. Serious injuries, vehicle damage, and pressure from insurance companies can begin almost immediately.

As a Chicago-based law firm, we work closely with truck accident victims throughout Cook County and the surrounding area. From crashes on I-90 and I-94 to neighborhood collisions involving large trucks, we understand how complex these cases can be.

Truck accidents often involve multiple parties, severe injuries, and complicated insurance and regulatory issues. Taking the right steps as soon as possible helps protect your health, preserves critical evidence, and strengthens any personal injury claim you may need to pursue.

What Steps to Take After a Commercial Truck Accident

When a truck crash occurs, the moments that follow can feel chaotic. Emergency services may be responding, traffic may be stopped, and injured victims may be unsure what to do next. While every situation is different, there are important steps that apply to most commercial truck accidents and auto accidents involving large trucks.

Call 911 and File an Accident Report

The first step after a truck accident is to call 911. Even if you believe you suffered only minor injuries, emergency services should respond so that a police officer can assess the situation and create an official accident report.

Responding officers document the entire accident scene, identify the vehicles involved, speak with other drivers, and prepare a police report. This report becomes a key piece of evidence in any civil claim. Be honest and cooperative with the police officer, but avoid guessing or speculating about what caused the crash.

Collect as Much Evidence as You Can From the Accident Scene

If you are physically able, gathering as much evidence as possible at the scene of the accident is critical. Truck accident victims often underestimate how quickly evidence can disappear.

Photograph vehicle damage, license plates, skid marks, debris, cargo spills, weather conditions, road signage, and hazard lights. Capture wide shots of the entire accident scene and close-ups of the vehicles involved, including the truck and any passenger vehicles. Document the position of the vehicles and any visible property damage.

If the accident happened quickly or in heavy traffic, evidence from the crash occurred can help clarify what really happened later.

Do Not Admit Fault

In the moments after an accident, it is natural to feel shaken or apologetic. However, it is important to avoid admitting fault at the scene of the accident before speaking with a truck accident lawyer. Statements made to other drivers, responding officers, or insurance adjusters can later be used against you.

Even saying something as simple as “I didn’t see the truck” can be interpreted as an admission. Truck accident liability is rarely limited to one person and may include the truck driver, the trucking company, cargo loaders, maintenance providers, and other responsible parties. Determining fault is part of the legal process, not something that should be decided at the scene.

Exchange Information With Any Drivers Involved

You should exchange information with other drivers and people involved in the accident. This includes names, phone numbers, driver’s license numbers, license plates, insurance information, and the name of the driver’s employer if a commercial truck is involved.

If delivery trucks or a large truck were part of the crash, make sure to note the trucking company’s name and any identifying markings on the vehicle. Do not rely solely on insurance companies to obtain this information later.

Exchange Contact Information With Any Witnesses

Independent witnesses can be extremely valuable in truck accident claim. If anyone saw how the crash occurred, ask for their names and phone numbers. Witness statements often help clarify disputed facts, especially when multiple parties are involved or when distracted driving is suspected.

Witnesses may leave the scene quickly, so collecting this information as soon as possible is important.

Seek Medical Attention

Getting a prompt medical evaluation is one of the most important steps after a truck accident. Even if you believe you have only minor injuries, immediate medical attention helps identify internal bleeding, traumatic brain injuries, or other serious injuries that may not be obvious right away.

A medical evaluation creates a clear record linking your sustained injuries to the accident. Follow up with a medical professional, comply with recommended treatment, and attend all appointments. Medical bills, treatment records, and diagnoses play a major role in any personal injury case.

Consult an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer

Before speaking in detail with insurance companies, it is wise to consult an experienced attorney. A Chicago truck accident attorney can explain your legal obligations, protect you from unfair insurance tactics, and help you understand your options.

Truck accident cases are not like ordinary car accidents. They often involve truck regulations, corporate defendants, and aggressive insurance adjusters. Having the support of an experienced truck accident lawyer early in the process helps level the playing field.

How We Can Help Chicago Truck Accident Victims

After a truck crash, our role is to shoulder the legal burden so our clients can focus on healing. We work with Chicago truck crash victims who are facing medical bills, lost income, and uncertainty about the future. We believe accountability matters, and we pursue fair compensation with care, precision, and respect.

Here’s everything we can do to help you win your claim:

Collect Evidence

Our truck accident attorneys immediately begins to gather evidence beyond what was available at the accident scene. This includes crash data, vehicle inspections, surveillance footage, dash-cam video, witness statements, and photographs documenting vehicle damage and property damage.

We understand that trucking companies often move quickly to protect their interests. Acting soon as possible allows us to preserve critical evidence before it is lost or altered.

Many of the most important pieces of evidence in a truck accident claim are not visible at the scene. We send preservation letters to involved parties to secure electronic data, maintenance logs, and employment records tied to the driver’s employer.

Obtain Driver Logs, ELD, and Dispatch Records, Maintenance and Inspection Records

Federal regulations require truck drivers to maintain records of their driving hours. We obtain truck driver log books, electronic logging device (ELD) data, dispatch records, and delivery schedules to determine whether the truck driver violated hours-of-service rules.

We also review maintenance and inspection records to identify brake failures, tire issues, or neglected repairs that may have contributed to the crash. Without timely action, key evidence may be overwritten or destroyed. Preserving this information is essential to protecting accident victims.

Identify All Liable Parties

Truck accidents often involve several parties. In many cases, liability extends past the truck driver and may involve the trucking company, cargo loaders, maintenance contractors, and other involved parties.

We analyze negligence in truck accident cases carefully, identifying every party involved whose actions or omissions contributed to the collision. This approach helps ensure that all responsible parties are held accountable.

Analyze Federal and State Trucking Law Violations

Commercial truck operations are governed by both federal and Illinois laws. We review potential violations involving driver fatigue, distracted driving, improper loading, maintenance failures, or safety policy violations.

Demonstrating regulatory violations strengthens a truck accident claim and can significantly impact financial recovery.

Work With Accident Reconstruction Experts

In serious or catastrophic injury cases, we work with accident reconstruction experts to analyze vehicle speeds, braking distances, impact angles, and crash dynamics. These experts help explain how the accident occurred and who is responsible, especially when insurance companies dispute fault.

Insurance Claim Filing and Negotiations

We handle all communication with insurance companies, shielding our clients from pressure by insurance adjusters. Our goal is to present a clear, evidence-based insurance claim that reflects the true impact and long-term consequences of injuries.

We negotiate from a position of preparation and strength while keeping our clients informed at every stage.

Calculate Damages and Case Value

Truck crash victims often face catastrophic injuries, long-term medical needs, and sudden financial uncertainty. We take the time to calculate damages carefully, looking beyond immediate expenses to understand how the accident has affected our clients’ lives now and in the future. A thorough evaluation helps ensure that any personal injury claim reflects the full scope of harm caused by the truck accident.

Understanding the true value of a truck accident claim also helps our clients make informed decisions about whether to pursue a settlement or move forward with litigation.

Truck accident damages generally fall into three categories:

Economic Damages

Economic damages are the measurable financial losses caused by the accident. We work closely with medical providers, employers, and financial professionals to document and calculate these losses accurately, which may include:

• Emergency care, hospitalization, and follow-up medical treatment
• Future medical expenses, rehabilitation, and long-term care needs
• Lost income during recovery
• Diminished earning capacity if injuries limit future work
• Property damage to vehicles and personal belongings
• Out-of-pocket costs related to recovery

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages reflect the personal and emotional impact of a truck accident, losses that are real but not easily quantified. We take these harms seriously and ensure they are fully considered when valuing a case, including:

• Physical pain and ongoing discomfort
• Emotional distress, anxiety, or trauma
• Loss of normal life and enjoyment of daily activities
• Permanent disability or disfigurement
• Reduced quality of life and loss of independence

Punitive Damages

In limited cases, punitive damages may be available when evidence shows particularly reckless or dangerous conduct, such as:

• Willful safety violations by a truck driver or trucking company
• Extreme negligence that placed the public at risk

By carefully analyzing all applicable damages, we help our clients understand what fair compensation may look like and how each element fits into the broader legal process.

Pursue Settlement or Litigation as Needed

Many truck collision cases resolve through negotiation, but some require litigation. We prepare every case as if it may go to trial. When necessary, we pursue a truck accident settlement through the courts while continuing to explore resolution options that serve our clients’ best interests.

Book a Free Consultation

If you or a loved one were involved in the accident with a truck, we invite you to speak with our team. A Chicago motor vehicle accident attorney at our firm can review your situation, answer your questions, and explain next steps. We offer a free consultation and handle truck accident cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront costs, and you pay no legal fees unless we recover compensation for you.

If you’re ready to talk, contact us to schedule a confidential consultation with a truck accident lawyer. We’re here to listen, explain what to do after a truck accident, and to stand with you every step of the way.