A collision with a commercial truck is not the same as a fender-bender between two passenger cars. The forces involved are different, the injuries are different, and the legal landscape is fundamentally different. Taran & Associates handles truck accident cases throughout Missouri — and the steps you take in the hours after a crash will directly shape the outcome of your claim.
Here is why truck accidents demand a different approach: they are governed by Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations that apply to trucking companies and their drivers — regulations that most accident victims never hear about until it is too late. Commercial trucks are required to carry $1 million or more in mandatory liability insurance, which means there is substantially more coverage at stake than in a typical car accident. The defendant is usually a corporation — not just an individual driver — and the corporate defendant has legal counsel on retainer before you've left the scene.
Truck accidents also routinely involve multiple potentially liable parties: the driver, the trucking company, the cargo loader, the vehicle manufacturer, and in some cases, government entities responsible for road conditions. Identifying every liable party requires investigation — the kind of investigation that has to happen fast, before evidence disappears.
The injuries in truck accidents are disproportionately severe. The weight differential between a loaded 18-wheeler and a passenger car can exceed 20 to 1. Spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, internal organ damage, and wrongful death are common outcomes. These are not cases to navigate alone.
Seek Immediate Medical Attention
Go to the emergency room — even if you feel fine. This is not optional.
Adrenaline is a powerful anesthetic. In the minutes and hours after a serious crash, your body suppresses pain signals that would otherwise be debilitating. Traumatic brain injuries, internal bleeding, spinal injuries, and soft tissue damage frequently produce no obvious symptoms at the scene. Symptoms can take 24 to 72 hours — or longer — to fully emerge.
The medical record you create on day one becomes critical evidence in your claim. It establishes that your injuries existed and were caused by the accident. Every day you delay treatment is ammunition for the insurance company to argue that your injuries are not serious, were pre-existing, or were caused by something other than the crash. A same-day ER or urgent care visit removes that argument entirely.
Injuries that commonly appear hours or days later
Concussion · Traumatic brain injury · Herniated or bulging discs · Whiplash · Internal bleeding · Soft tissue tears · PTSD and anxiety — all commonly missed at the scene and frequently blamed on "other causes" by insurance adjusters when treatment is delayed.
Call the Police and Get an Official Report
Missouri law requires a police report for any accident involving injuries or significant property damage. In a truck accident, there will almost certainly be both — call 911 immediately.
The police report is not just a formality. It captures the driver's statements at the scene, weather and road conditions, whether any traffic laws were violated, and the initial assignment of fault. It records the truck's DOT number, the driver's CDL number, and the trucking company's information — all of which you will need for your claim.
Get the report number before you leave the scene. Request a full copy within a few days — most Missouri law enforcement agencies make accident reports available online or by request within 10 business days.
Document Everything at the Scene
If you are physically able to move safely, document the scene before anything is moved or cleared. Your phone camera is your most powerful tool in the next 30 minutes.
- Photograph all vehicles from every angle — damage, positions, license plates
- Photograph skid marks, road conditions, weather, and traffic signs
- Photograph the truck's DOT number (displayed on the cab door or trailer) and the company name
- Photograph the driver's CDL and insurance card
- Photograph your injuries — bruising, lacerations, airbag burns, seatbelt marks — even if they seem minor now
- Get names and contact information from every witness
- Do NOT move your vehicle unless it is blocking traffic and it is safe to do so — the positions of vehicles after impact are critical evidence
Surveillance footage from nearby businesses, truck stop cameras, and highway cameras is often overwritten within 30 to 90 days. Physical evidence at the scene disappears the moment the road is cleared. Document now — not after you get home and realize what you missed.
Do NOT Speak to the Trucking Company's Insurance Adjuster Without an Attorney
This is the most important instruction on this page. Read it carefully.
After a truck accident, an insurance adjuster from the trucking company's carrier will contact you — often within hours. They will be polite, sympathetic, and eager to "help you through this difficult time." They will ask you to provide a recorded statement about the accident. They may offer a quick cash settlement before you have any idea what your injuries will actually cost you.
Do not give a recorded statement. Do not accept any early settlement offer. Insurance adjusters are trained professionals whose job is to minimize what their company pays. A recorded statement taken before you understand the full extent of your injuries can be used to contradict your later claims. An early settlement — signed before you finish medical treatment — almost certainly does not account for future surgeries, physical therapy, lost earning capacity, or long-term pain and suffering.
Politely decline. Tell the adjuster you are consulting with an attorney first. This is not being difficult — it is protecting your legal rights. You have no obligation to give a statement before retaining counsel, and doing so rarely helps your case.
Why truck adjusters call fast
Trucking companies know that evidence deteriorates quickly. The truck's black box (Electronic Logging Device) records speed, braking, and hours of service — but it can be overwritten. The sooner they close your claim, the less time you have to investigate. Speed is their strategy. Don't let it work.
Preserve All Medical Records and Bills
From day one, keep copies of everything: ambulance records, ER reports, imaging results (X-rays, MRIs, CT scans), specialist referrals, physical therapy notes, and every bill you receive. Do not throw anything away.
Request copies of all records directly from the providers — do not rely solely on what your insurance company has on file. Medical records are sometimes incomplete, and you want the full picture.
Document missed work days and lost wages in writing. If your employer can provide a letter confirming your absence and your regular rate of pay, obtain it. Lost income is a compensable damage, but it requires documentation.
Keep a daily pain journal. Write down your symptoms, limitations, pain levels, and how your injuries affect your daily life — your ability to sleep, work, drive, care for your family. This contemporaneous record becomes powerful evidence when calculating non-economic damages like pain and suffering.
Contact a Missouri Truck Accident Attorney for a Free Evaluation
An experienced attorney does things you cannot do on your own — and the window to do them closes fast.
Trucking companies are required by federal law to preserve certain records: the truck's Electronic Logging Device (ELD) data, maintenance logs, driver qualification files, and drug and alcohol testing records. But they will not preserve this evidence voluntarily once your claim is closed. An attorney can send a spoliation letter — a legal demand to preserve evidence — within days of the accident. Without one, critical data may be legally deleted.
ELD black box data can prove that the driver was violating federal hours-of-service regulations at the time of your crash — driving more consecutive hours than federal law permits. Maintenance records can show that the trucking company knew about a brake defect and failed to fix it. Driver qualification files can reveal a history of violations that the company ignored when hiring. These records exist. An attorney knows how to get them.
Mark Taran provides free case evaluations with no obligation. If your case qualifies, he connects you with affiliated trial attorneys who have the resources to take on trucking companies. You pay nothing unless you recover compensation.