I was involved in an accident with a truck — however I did not visit the doctor until several days after the accident, is it still possible to claim compensation for an accident with a truck?
Claiming compensation for an accident with a truck is possible if you have been the victim of the negligence of a third party. A road user has a duty of care to fulfil to those around them, whether these are fellow drivers, their passengers or pedestrians, they should not expect to sustain an injury. A truck accident claim would then be possible if the negligence of the truck driver can be proven by their failure to perform their duty of care towards other road users. However it must be kept in mind that although road users have a duty of care, this is not absolute and the victims of an accident have a responsibility towards their own health and safety.
If you have sustained an injury in an avoidable accident because of the negligent actions of a third party, you may be entitled to claim compensation for your injuries. This could be the situation if — for instance — the driver who caused your injury from an accident with a truck was travelling too fast and could not stop in time to avoid an accident from occurring. If established that the driver had disregarded the safety of other road users and neglected to take precautions to avert a potential accident, you could be entitled to claim truck accident compensation and a personal injury solicitor should be consulted regarding a truck accident claim at the earliest opportunity.
However if — as suggested — you did not visit the doctor for several days following your accident, your compensation for an accident with a truck can be reduced in order to reflect your own negligent behaviour. Your truck accident claim could be affected if you neglected to pursue medical attention for your injuries either from your family GP in an emergency appointment after your accident, or from the accident and emergency department of the nearest hospital. It could then be considered that — by failure to seek immediate medical attention — you contributed to the extent of your injury from an accident with a truck. While claiming truck accident compensation may still be possible in this scenario, it may be reduced to reflect your own lack of care.
Claiming truck accident compensation could be more difficult if contributory negligence is a factor in your accident and injury, particularly considering that such a claim is more likely to be challenged by the party being held negligent. For this reason, you will have a far greater likelihood of success if your claim for an injury from an accident with a truck is assessed by a personal injury solicitor at the earliest opportunity following your accident. Your solicitor will assess your claim, advise you on the percentage of liability you will assume for your accident and injuries and advise on whether your truck accident claim is worth pursuing further. The strength of your claim may depend on the amount of preparation which is made, and for this reason a personal injury solicitor should be contacted without delay regarding your compensation for an accident with a truck.
