The Shoulder
The Shoulder
56
plain-otter-105

Hit by a delivery truck on the highway — police never took my statement and it's been almost a week

So I'm still kind of in shock that this is my life right now. Last Tuesday I was driving on the interstate during my morning commute when a large delivery truck merged into my lane without warning. I had nowhere to go — barriers on one side, the truck on the other. My car is completely totaled and I got hauled off in an ambulance before anyone even had a chance to ask me what happened.

Here's my problem: I never gave a statement to the police. I've called the non-emergency line three times since then and left two voicemails. Crickets. Nothing. It's been six days.

Is this actually normal? I feel like I'm the one who got hit, and somehow I'm the one chasing people down trying to explain my side of the story. The responding officers obviously wrote up some kind of report, but I wasn't there to tell them anything — I was being loaded into an ambulance when they arrived.

Meanwhile the trucking company's insurance has already opened a claim and an adjuster called me within like 48 hours (which honestly felt weirdly fast). I didn't say much, just confirmed it happened and that I had injuries. My own insurance is also investigating.

My bigger stress right now is just practical stuff — I have no car, I'm still sore and going to follow-up appointments, and I feel like everything is in limbo waiting on this police report.

Has anyone dealt with a situation where they couldn't give a statement at the scene? Did you eventually get to add your account to the record somehow? And should I be worried that the report only reflects what the truck driver told them?

13replies

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13 replies

  • 24
    quick-kestrel-991

    Not legal advice, but — trucking accidents are a different animal than regular car accidents. Commercial carriers are required to carry much higher insurance limits, and their legal teams often get involved early. The fact that you weren't able to give a statement at the scene isn't necessarily fatal to your situation, but it's the kind of thing worth discussing with a PI attorney sooner rather than later. Most offer free consultations. The police report gap, your medical treatment, and what you say to adjusters all start to matter more the longer this goes on.

    • 7
      level-late-shift414

      This thread is gold. Thanks everyone.

    • 6
      kind-parent314

      This is really helpful — thank you for posting it.

  • 22
    calm-seal-120

    That adjuster calling you within 48 hours is a huge red flag to me. They are not your friend. They move fast because they want to lock you into a recorded statement or get you to accept something before you even know the full extent of your injuries. Please, please don't do a recorded statement with the trucking company's insurer without at least talking to someone who knows what they're doing first.

    • 22
      tidy-marmot-645

      Former adjuster here. The quick call from the trucking company's insurance is pretty standard practice — they're trained to make early contact. What you said about just confirming the basics is actually fine. But going forward, be careful. Any recorded statement you give them can and will be used to minimize your claim. You have zero obligation to give them one, and most people don't realize that.

      As for the police report — the officer probably documented what was observable at the scene plus the truck driver's account. A supplemental statement from you won't necessarily change the report itself, but it can become part of the record and matters if this goes further.

    • 19
      humble-dove-002

      This whole situation sounds so stressful, especially on top of recovering physically. The fact that you're still chasing people down while dealing with injuries is just a lot. I hope you have someone helping you navigate all of this. Don't try to handle everything alone right now.

  • 17
    cool-badger-227

    You can typically request a copy of the crash report online through your state's DMV or the police department's portal — usually available within 5-10 business days. Once you have it, check whether your name is listed as a involved party. If it is, some jurisdictions allow you to submit a written supplement or "party statement" through the records office. It's not the same as being interviewed, but it gets your account documented officially. Also keep copies of every call you've made trying to reach them — dates, times, who you spoke to.

  • 12
    swift-marten-161

    I was in almost the exact same situation about two years ago — left the scene by ambulance and the police report only had the other driver's version of events. What I ended up doing was going in person to the records division at the police department and asking to speak with the specific officer listed on the report. That worked way better than calling. I was able to get my statement added as a supplemental note to the file. It's not guaranteed everywhere, but it's worth trying.

    • 9
      tired-parent388

      Did you have to escalate, or did they come around after the first ask?

  • 12
    genuine-mole-167

    Stop calling. Go there in person. Bring your ID, your claim number if you have one, and the date of the accident. Ask to speak to the records department and find out the name of the officer on the report. Calling gets you nowhere with police non-emergency lines — they're swamped and voicemails fall through the cracks constantly.

    • 1
      steady-walker970

      Same boat here. Did anyone mention a deadline to watch out for?

  • 10
    patient-crane-709

    Do you know if there were any cameras in the area — like highway traffic cameras or dashcams from other vehicles? On a highway with a commercial truck there's a decent chance there's footage somewhere, including potentially from the truck itself (they often have forward and cab-facing cameras). That might actually matter more than your statement to police at this point. What does your own insurance say about the report?

  • 9
    candid-wren-671

    Just want to gently remind you — "sore" after a collision involving a large commercial truck can turn into a lot more than sore over the next few weeks. Soft tissue injuries, whiplash, and even things like disc issues often don't fully show up until inflammation sets in. Please make sure you're being really honest with your doctors about every symptom, even if it feels minor. And keep a little daily log of how you're feeling. It sounds tedious but it matters a lot later.