What Do You Do After A Commercial Truck Collision?

Apr. 14 2019 Articles By Gabrielli Truck Sales

Getting into a collision in your commercial truck can be frightening. The accident itself causes a great deal of adrenaline; after the fact, your truck may need significant repairs. Gabrielli’s commercial truck body shop is the right location for you to get your truck up and running again, once the immediate problems of the collision have been solved.  

Some key points about what to do after a commercial truck collision:  

Don’t leave the scene of the accident.  

It’s illegal to leave the area where the collision occurred. Stay close to your truck, call the police, and wait for them to arrive. If you do leave, it’s possible to get ticketed, get points on your license, or even be prosecuted.  

Alert other parties

Whether you’re driving for a business or working as an independent hauler, it’s important to let employers or recipients know of delays. If you’re fairly sure that you’ll be on the road again quickly, this is less of an issue, but if you notice significant damage to your truck, this is much more important.  

If you’re driving for another business, you should let them know about the accident immediately.  

Document damage

Police and insurance adjusters will make their own assessments of the damage, but having your own photos from the scene can help support your claim, if necessary. Since most people have cameras in their pockets, there’s no reason not to get good images of any damage to your vehicle, as well as any other vehicles involved.  

Contact your insurance company

Insurance companies can often help to pay for damages to your vehicle; reaching out to them to report an accident is the first step in starting a claim. The insurance company may send an adjuster to your chosen mechanic, once the truck is there, to assess damages and make you an offer to pay for some or all of the damages.  

Get medical attention

If you sustained any injuries in the collision, make sure to see a doctor quickly; if EMTs have been called to the scene, let them look you over. Minor pains can quickly become major problems if they’re not treated properly, and it’s important to make sure you’re healthy before you return to work.  

Assess any damage to your truck

If the collision was minor, you may not need immediate repairs and may be able to finish your haul before looking at repairing the damage. If the truck has more major repairs needed, Gabrielli's commercial truck body shop is ready to help you review the damage, estimate repair costs, and give you a timeline of repairs. Gabrielli Truck Sales also offers several general repair options, as well as body shop services. When you need your commercial truck repaired at a location you trust, visit Gabrielli's commercial truck body shop. We’ll help you determine the right way to repair your truck and give you an estimate that you can trust. Contact us today to get started.