1. Make sure everyone seeks medical attention if they need it
If you or your family have been involved in a car wreck with a postal truck or other government vehicle, the first thing you need to do is make sure everyone is okay. If they are not, seek medical attention immediately. The health and safety of yourself, your family, and any other individuals involved in a car wreck are your first priority.
Even minor symptoms like confusion or dizziness can be symptoms of a larger underlying problem that hasn’t fully manifested. Our firm has handled many cases against the federal government, from USPS truck accidents to standard daily driver incidents, where seemingly minor injuries turned out to be traumatic brain injuries that are only fully diagnosed in the care of a qualified medical professional.
2. Call the police
After you have made sure everyone involved is okay, call the authorities. A police report may become useful in resolving a case with the United States. If the police cannot make it to the scene, you can file a report with your state’s department of motor vehicles.
3. Take photos and gather information
If you have your cell phone and only if you are able to, take photos of the vehicles involved in the wreck, and the scene of the accident. If you are able to take photos of your injuries, do so; but only if you can do so without compromising your health.
Photos are also a great way of collecting valuable information you need if you don’t have anything to write it down. Either way, if you can, try to collect as much information about the cars and people at the scene:
- License plate of the other vehicles involved
- Drivers license and contact info of the other drivers
- Insurance info
- Makes and models of the vehicles in the wreck
4. Get the contact info of the officers and witnesses
For the officers who arrive at the scene, politely ask for their name and badge numbers, but make sure you do not interfere with their job. If there are any witnesses to the scene, get the contact information (name, phone, and address) of any witness to the car wreck.
5. When you are able, request the police report and medical records
You will want the full police report, including any photos and witness statements that the police took. These may be helpful in determining how the wreck occurred and in resolving your case against the United States.
You may also need any medical records from any treatment you received as a result of your injuries.
6. Contact an experienced attorney
If you’ve been injured by a government vehicle accident, you must follow the strict rules surrounding the Federal Tort Claims Act before you can seek compensation for your injuries. Because of the many pitfalls involved in handling this specialized area of law, you should contact lawyers who have decades of experience dealing with the United States on behalf of individuals just like yourself.