What If I Was Taken by Ambulance After an 18-Wheeler Wreck?

Emergency medical transportation often means someone at the scene believed your injuries required prompt medical evaluation. You may have been experiencing severe pain, bleeding, dizziness, confusion, difficulty moving, or other symptoms after the impact.

If the 18-wheeler accident was not your fault, ambulance transportation can become one part of the medical evidence documenting what happened to you.

But a serious trucking claim should examine much more than the ambulance bill.

The investigation should determine why the truck wreck happened, who was responsible, what trucking-company evidence exists, what commercial insurance may apply, and how your injuries will affect you in the future.

What Does Ambulance Transportation Show?

An ambulance ride does not automatically establish the severity or legal value of a claim.

However, emergency medical records can provide important contemporaneous documentation.

Paramedics may record:

• your complaints;
• pain level;
• visible injuries;
• neurological symptoms;
• vital signs;
• loss of consciousness;
• confusion;
• immobilization;
• treatment provided; and
• the mechanism of injury.

Those records are created close in time to the accident.

What If I Don’t Remember the Ambulance Ride?

Memory loss can occur after a traumatic event for several reasons.

If you experienced a head injury, concussion, loss of consciousness, or memory gap, tell your medical providers.

Do not guess about details you cannot remember.

Accident evidence can often be reconstructed using witnesses, police records, photographs, video, and electronic trucking information.

What If I Went Straight to the Emergency Room?

Emergency-room records may document:

• pain;
• fractures;
• head injuries;
• internal injuries;
• spinal symptoms;
• cuts;
• bruising;
• diagnostic imaging; and
• emergency treatment.

Some serious injuries are diagnosed immediately.

Others become clearer after swelling, pain, or neurological symptoms develop.

What If the Hospital Discharged Me?

Being discharged does not necessarily mean you were uninjured.

Emergency departments generally focus on identifying and stabilizing urgent conditions.

You may still need follow-up care with:

• an orthopedist;
• neurologist;
• neurosurgeon;
• spine specialist;
• physical therapist;
• pain-management physician; or
• another provider.

Follow the medical advice you receive.

What If My Pain Got Worse Later?

That can happen after a collision.

Symptoms should be reported accurately to appropriate medical providers.

Avoid exaggerating or minimizing them.

Medical professionals—not an insurance adjuster—should evaluate your medical condition.

Who Pays the Ambulance Bill?

The answer depends on the insurance arrangements and circumstances.

Ambulance charges may become part of the medical expenses associated with an injury claim, but billing and payment can involve health insurance, medical-pay coverage where applicable, liens, or other arrangements.

The existence of a bill does not by itself establish who ultimately bears responsibility for it.

What If I Was Airlifted Instead?

Air transportation can result in substantial medical charges and usually reflects concern about the need for rapid higher-level care.

The medical circumstances leading to air transport should be documented.

Read our article on what to know if you were airlifted after an 18-wheeler accident.

Why Should the Truck Be Investigated While I Am Treating?

Your medical recovery and liability investigation are separate processes that can occur at the same time.

While you focus on treatment, evidence connected to the truck may be changing.

Potential evidence includes:

• dashcam footage;
• GPS;
• telematics;
• ELD information;
• dispatch messages;
• cellphone evidence;
• driver qualification records;
• maintenance records; and
• inspection information.

What If the Truck Driver Was Clearly at Fault?

Even obvious driver negligence may not answer every important question.

Suppose the driver rear-ended you.

Investigators may still need to determine:

• Was the driver texting?
• Was the driver fatigued?
• Was the driver following too closely?
• Were the brakes defective?
• Was the driver rushing?
• Did the trucking company know about previous safety issues?

Could the Trucking Company Be Responsible?

Potentially.

Depending on the evidence, the motor carrier’s conduct may require examination.

The investigation can include:

• qualification;
• training;
• supervision;
• hours of service;
• maintenance;
• safety history; and
• company policies.

What If Several Companies Are Connected to the Truck?

That is possible.

The tractor, trailer, cargo, driver, and motor carrier can sometimes involve different businesses.

Each company’s actual role should be identified.

Being connected to the truck does not automatically create legal responsibility.

What If I Miss Work Because of My Injuries?

Document it.

Keep:

• work excuses;
• medical restrictions;
• pay records;
• employer communications; and
• information showing missed overtime or other compensation.

If your injuries become permanent, future earning ability may also need evaluation.

What If I Need Surgery After the Ambulance and ER Visit?

The medical consequences of a serious truck accident may unfold over weeks or months.

If surgery is recommended, keep documentation of:

• diagnosis;
• imaging;
• surgical recommendation;
• procedure;
• recovery;
• therapy; and
• future restrictions.

What If the Insurance Company Offers Me Money Quickly?

A fast offer can occur before the full extent of an injury is known.

Before resolving a serious injury claim, consider whether you understand:

• your diagnosis;
• future treatment;
• ability to return to work;
• permanent limitations;
• responsible parties; and
• available insurance.

Signing a release can have significant consequences.

What If I Have Health Insurance?

Health insurance may pay some treatment expenses subject to the terms of the plan.

That does not necessarily eliminate a claim against a responsible trucking party.

Reimbursement or lien issues may also need to be addressed depending on the coverage.

What Damages Can a Serious Injury Claim Include?

Depending on Louisiana law and the facts, damages may involve:

• ambulance expenses;
• hospital expenses;
• medical treatment;
• future medical care;
• lost wages;
• reduced earning capacity;
• permanent impairment; and
• other legally recoverable damages.

What Evidence Should I Keep?

Keep copies of:

• ambulance records;
• hospital records;
• discharge instructions;
• bills;
• prescriptions;
• medical referrals;
• work excuses;
• photographs;
• police information; and
• insurance correspondence.

What Should I Avoid?

Avoid giving inaccurate statements about your injuries.

Avoid posting misleading social media content.

Avoid ignoring medical recommendations.

And avoid signing documents you do not understand.

Jacqueline Scott & Associates Investigates Serious 18-Wheeler Injury Cases

If you were taken by ambulance after an 18-wheeler wreck, your medical treatment is only one part of the case.

The truck and trucking company should also be investigated.

What caused the crash?

What electronic evidence exists?

Was the driver distracted?

Was the driver fatigued?

Who employed the driver?

What commercial insurance may apply?

Jacqueline Scott & Associates can investigate serious Louisiana trucking accidents while you focus on your medical recovery.

Make ’Em Pay.

Call (318) 746-5997.

Every case is different. Results depend on the specific facts and circumstances of each individual matter. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. This article is general educational information and does not constitute legal advice.

This article is general information about Louisiana law and is not legal advice. Laws and deadlines can change, and every case depends on its own facts. Past results do not guarantee or predict future outcomes. Reading this page or contacting the firm does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship.