6 min read · Last reviewed 2026-09-01
Get medical care, even if you feel alright
Adrenaline masks injuries. Internal bleeding, concussions and spinal injuries frequently present hours or days later, and a gap between the crash and the first medical visit becomes an argument that something else caused the harm.
Follow the treatment plan you are given and keep every discharge instruction, referral and bill.
Make sure a police report exists
Commercial vehicle crashes usually generate a state police or municipal report, and larger crashes can also generate a federal inspection record. Get the report number at the scene if you can.
Understand what evidence is on a clock
A tractor-trailer produces records a passenger car never does: electronic logging device data, engine control module downloads, dispatch messages, driver qualification files and maintenance history.
Federal rules require carriers to retain many of these for limited periods — some supporting documents for as little as six months — so a preservation letter usually needs to go out early.
- Electronic logging device and hours-of-service records
- Engine control module / event data recorder download
- Driver qualification and post-accident testing records
- Maintenance and inspection history for the tractor and trailer
- Dashcam, fleet telematics and nearby surveillance footage
Be careful with the carrier's insurer
Trucking insurers often contact injured people quickly and ask for a recorded statement. You are not required to give one, and early statements are routinely used to narrow a claim.
Sources
This guide is general legal information, not legal advice, and laws change. Talk to an attorney about your own situation.