Road accidents are tragically all too common, and may leave those involved with injuries which can dramatically alter your life. If you were driving a truck for work and were involved in an accident, you could be entitled to a worker’s compensation claim. You can learn more about workplace health and safety.
What to do if you're in a truck accident?
If you are injured in a truck accident, you should call emergency services, and report the incident to the police.
After the accident:
Seek appropriate medical treatment
Report the accident to the police if this was not done at the scene
Consider seeking legal advice and learn about the process of an accident claim
I drive trucks for a living, what can I claim?
Trucks are an important part of Australian industry and being involved in a truck accident doesn't just affect your health - it can affect your capacity to work and your livelihood. The same rights and entitlements apply to truck drivers as they would if you were in a car.
When you make a compensation claim following a truck injury or truck crash, some of the things you could claim for include:
- Lost income
- Medical expenses
- Rehabilitation
- Vocational training
- Assistance returning to work
- Household help
- Pain and suffering
Frequently asked questions
Yes. You are still entitled to support for injuries obtained during the accident regardless of who was at fault.
Like any motor vehicle accident claim you have 12 months to lodge a claim from the date of your accident, or the date an injury from your accident first becomes evident.
If you were driving the truck as part of your work duties and were completing work duties as part of your employment at the time of the accident, yes you can claim workers compensation.
There are many reasons a truck accident can happen, but some of the most common ones that we see that also result in work cover claims are:
- Fatigue
- Rear-end collision
- Equipment Failure
- Overloading cargo
- I was in a car hit by a truck
How can we help
Our lawyers can help with:
- Evaluating your needs and entitlements
- Advising and assisting you with the process from start to end
- Ensuring documents are lodged on time and with accuracy, while providing thorough updates at every stage of your claims process
- Advising you of the strict time limits that apply to seeking compensation
- Disputing decisions that are made not in your favour
Fees
Slater and Gordon's No Win - No Fee* arrangement is generally available for all types of motor vehicle accident claims. This means you do not pay for legal fees unless your case is successful. If your case is successful, we'll then charge our professional fees. Our fees are not based on a percentage of your compensation entitlement, they are assessed on a Court scale. We will discuss legal costs with you at the beginning of your case - meaning no nasty surprises in relation to our costs for you at the end.
The No Win - No Fee* arrangement is designed to help those whose financial circumstances might otherwise deny them access to legal representation.
You will receive a document setting out the details of the No Win - No Fee* arrangement at your obligation free initial appointment. We are not retained as your lawyers until the document is signed and returned to us, so you have time to consider your options.