What to Do After a Truck Accident in Casper, Wyoming: Steps That Protect Your Claim

TL;DR: Key Takeaways

• Call 911 and see a doctor the same day, even if you feel fine.
• Wyoming law (W.S. 31-5-1105, amended effective July 1, 2025) requires the driver of each vehicle in a crash to notify police immediately when someone is hurt or killed or a vehicle is too disabled to be driven normally and safely.
• Photograph the scene and the carrier's name and USDOT number on the side of the tractor, and get witness contact information.
• Decline a recorded statement to the trucking company's insurer and refer the adjuster to your lawyer.
• Interstate for-hire carriers hauling nonhazardous freight in trucks rated over 10,000 pounds must carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage under 49 CFR 387.9, far above Wyoming's 50,000/$20,000 auto minimum.
• A preservation letter has to reach the carrier before the driver's logs from the days leading up to the crash are six months old, the minimum retention period under 49 CFR 395.8(k)(1).
• Wyoming allows four years from the crash for most injury lawsuits (W.S. 1-3-105) and two years from the date of death for wrongful death claims (W.S. 1-38-102).

In 2024, 5,340 people died in crashes involving large trucks, and 70 percent of them were in other vehicles, according to NHTSA's large truck crash data. The carrier's insurer can start investigating on the day of the crash, while you're still being treated.

Emily N. Benight, a partner at Metier Law Firm, was raised in Wyoming, earned her law degree at the University of Wyoming, and focuses her trial practice on truck crashes and brain injuries. "In a Wyoming truck case, the emergency room records and the crash report are two of the first documents we review," Benight says. "Both are based partly on what the injured person tells the doctor or the investigating officer."

At the Scene

Get out of the travel lanes before you call 911 if you can move. When it's safe, photograph every vehicle where it came to rest, along with skid marks, debris, road conditions, and your visible injuries.

Interstate carriers must display their name and USDOT number on both sides of the tractor under 49 CFR 390.21T, so photograph both sides. We run that number through FMCSA's SAFER Company Snapshot, which shows the carrier's inspection and crash history and any FMCSA safety rating. Get witnesses' contact information. When you exchange information with the truck driver, don't discuss who caused the crash.

Get Medical Care the Same Day

Part of what to do after a truck accident in Casper is getting examined at an emergency room or urgent care clinic on the day of the crash, even if you felt uninjured at the scene. The CDC notes that concussion symptoms can take hours or days to appear or be noticed.

If days pass between the crash and your first exam, an adjuster can use that delay, or missed appointments later in treatment, to argue that something else caused your injuries.

Report the Crash Under Wyoming Law

W.S. 31-5-1105, as amended effective July 1, 2025, requires the driver of each vehicle involved to notify police immediately, by the quickest means available, when a crash injures or kills anyone. The same duty applies when a crash leaves any vehicle, other than a bicycle or another human-powered vehicle, too disabled to be driven normally and safely. The amendment removed the old $1,000 property damage threshold.

A crash on I-25 or CY Avenue inside Casper city limits is reported to the Casper Police Department. Inside Mills, Evansville, or another town, notice goes to that town's police. On unincorporated roads, the statute directs it to the nearest Highway Patrol office or the Natrona County Sheriff's Office.

Getting a Copy of the Crash Report

WYDOT's Highway Safety office handles requests for crash report copies at (307) 777-4450 or crash.records@wyo.gov. Its crash report page asks for the case number if you have it, the investigating agency, the crash date, the name and date of birth of someone involved, the vehicle's VIN, and your contact information.

When the Trucking Company's Insurer Calls

Decline any request from the trucking company's adjuster for a recorded statement. You have no contract with that insurer and no obligation to give it a statement, and anything you say while hurt or medicated can be used to argue that you caused the crash or that your injuries are minor.

What Not to Say or Sign

Avoid estimating speeds or distances, and don't describe your injuries to the adjuster. Wait to sign a medical authorization or accept a check until a lawyer has reviewed your claim. Your own auto policy's cooperation clause may require you to answer your insurer's questions, so have a lawyer read that clause before you give that insurer a recorded statement.

Federal Insurance Minimums for Commercial Trucks

Wyoming's minimum auto liability coverage under W.S. 31-9-405 is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per crash for bodily injury, plus $20,000 for property damage. FMCSA's insurance filing requirements summarize 49 CFR 387.9: for-hire carriers hauling nonhazardous freight across state lines in vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more must carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage. Carriers hauling oil or certain hazardous materials need $1 million, and those hauling certain bulk hazardous materials or explosives need $5 million. A truck accident insurance claim in Wyoming can also reach the carrier's excess or umbrella policies.

If you or a loved one was injured in a crash with a commercial truck, call us at 866-377-3800 or schedule a free consultation at www.metierlaw.com.

Save Your Own Evidence

Keep a folder with:

• Scene photos and photos of your injuries as they heal
• Medical records, bills, and prescription receipts
• A daily journal of pain levels, sleep problems, and tasks you can no longer do
• Pay stubs and records of missed work
• Repair estimates and towing bills

Don't post about the crash or how you're feeling on social media. The trucking company's lawyers can use public posts to dispute your injuries.

Evidence the Trucking Company Holds

The carrier or its ELD provider holds the driver's logs. Engine control module data stays on the truck, and any dash camera video is stored on the truck or with the camera vendor. Under 49 CFR 395.8(k)(1), carriers must keep hours-of-service records and supporting documents for at least six months from the date they receive them. A preservation letter, also called a spoliation letter, puts the carrier on written notice to keep that evidence.

Wyoming's Filing Deadlines

Wyoming gives most injured people four years from the crash to file a lawsuit under W.S. 1-3-105, while wrongful death claims must be filed within two years after the death under W.S. 1-38-102. Our post on Wyoming's 4-year truck accident filing deadline covers why the four-year window doesn't protect the carrier's records.

What Does a Truck Accident Lawyer Do?

After a Casper truck crash, we:

• Send preservation letters to the motor carrier, the truck's owner or lessor, and any tow yard or repair shop holding the truck
• Request the driver's logs and training records
• Identify each party that may share responsibility, including the driver, the motor carrier, a maintenance shop, and the shipper or loader. In oilfield truck crashes around Casper, that list can include the well operator or oilfield contractor that hired the trucking company.
• Find the carrier's primary and excess liability policies and any underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy, and handle all contact with adjusters
• Document your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering

Our Wyoming truck accident lawyers work from offices in Casper and Cheyenne.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I talk to the trucking company's insurance adjuster?

No. Nothing requires you to talk to the other side's insurer. Refer the adjuster to your lawyer, and wait to sign anything or take any payment until your lawyer reviews the claim.

Do I need a police report after a truck accident in Wyoming?

Yes, if the crash injured or killed anyone or prevented a vehicle's normal and safe operation. Wyoming law puts that duty on each driver involved (W.S. 31-5-1105). Inside Casper, the report goes to the Casper Police Department. In another town, it goes to that town's police, and on unincorporated roads, to the Highway Patrol or county sheriff.

What should I do after being hit by a semi if I feel fine?

See a doctor the same day. According to the CDC, concussion symptoms can take hours or days to appear, and an exam right after the crash puts your condition on record.

Talk to a Wyoming Trial Lawyer Before You Talk to the Insurer

What to do after a truck accident in Casper beyond these first steps depends on the details in your crash report and medical records. A Casper truck accident lawyer at our office on South Center Street can review them with you.

Call Metier Law Firm at 866-377-3800 or schedule your free consultation today at www.metierlaw.com.

Disclaimer: Past results discussed should not be considered a guarantee of your results as the factors of every case are individually unique. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a qualified attorney from Metier Law Firm regarding your individual situation for legal advice.