Damages
Trucking Accident Damages Damages in an accident refer to the losses suffered by an individual as a result of the accident. They can include both
Types of Truck Accident Damages
Truck accidents come with serious consequences. In the majority of truck accidents, the victims of a truck accident injury or fatality are the drivers and passengers in smaller vehicles. Semi-trucks can weigh 20–30 times more than smaller trucks, which leaves occupants with little protection when a crash occurs.
A truck accident can cause a large amount of damage, which means that settlement amounts after a truck accident can be sizable. However, every truck accident is different. Here are some damages and the potential settlement value.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are the form of compensation you can seek for costs and financial loss related to the truck accident. For this type of compensation, you must be able to provide evidence to demonstrate the dollar value of your losses.
Many different items related to a trucking accident can be included in economic damages. Some common ones include:
- Medical bills
- Prescription medicine costs
- Physical therapist bills
- Medical devices
- Lost wages and benefits
Bills and receipts can be submitted as evidence for these types of damages. If injuries have caused you to miss work or cause short-term or permanent disability, you can seek compensation for the loss of expected income or earning ability.
Wrongful Death
If a truck driver caused a motor vehicle accident injury that resulted in death, the case might qualify for a wrongful death lawsuit.
These can have high settlement amounts, especially if the deceased was a primary wage earner or had dependents. In some cases, truck accidents that result in death have case values that provide millions of dollars in compensation to the family of the deceased.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) monitors the frequency and outcome of accidents involving large trucks. The FMCSA reported that in 2019, 4,479 people were killed in accidents involving large trucks.
Truck Accident Injury
Truck accidents have a high likelihood of ending in serious injury. This is a far more common outcome than death. The FMCSA reports that 2019 had 114,000 injuries caused by truck crashes.
Injury cases after any type of traffic accident injury can bring a high settlement amount. Oftentimes, compensation is even higher after a truck accident because the injuries are more likely to be serious.
Depending on the extent of injuries and the impact on things like earning ability and quality of life, the case value after a truck accident injury can also reach millions of dollars.
Property Damage
Escaping injury or death after a truck accident is a fortunate outcome. However, even if a truck accident leaves you physically fine, you may find yourself without a vehicle. When the truck driver is at fault in an accident, they can be held liable for all of the damages.
If a truck accident has caused damage or destruction to your vehicle, you can seek compensation. Although this type of case is likely to have a smaller case value than cases involving death or serious injury, the loss of a vehicle can have serious negative financial consequences, and the driver can be held responsible for your loss.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages provide compensation for damages caused by the accident that don’t have a monetary value. Sometimes, it can be difficult to prove non-economic damages. It’s easier when there is a significant level of destruction that will have a long-term impact on the victim’s life.
Because truck accidents can be so serious, proving non-economic damages can be easier in a truck accident than in other motor vehicle accidents. This means there’s a good likelihood of achieving a higher settlement amount.
Examples of non-economic damages that can be sought include:
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium and companionship
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
When a truck accident victim suffers serious consequences, a higher level of non-economic damages can be sought. Common situations that often result in high non-economic damages values include:
- Spine or nerve injury
- Paralysis
- Traumatic brain injury
- Loss of sexual function
- Loss of fertility
- Loss of cognitive function
These types of consequences result in a seriously reduced quality of life for the accident victim and their family. Non-economic damages exist to ensure that victims are compensated for damages that can’t be measured in dollars.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are sometimes awarded in addition to other damages. They can only be awarded by a judge in a court verdict, and state laws differ on when they are possible. Punitive damages are issued as a form of punishment when the responsible party has shown an excessive level of negligence.
These are rarer than other damages, but they are usually for a significant amount of money when they are issued.
Liability in a Truck Accident
Successfully pursuing compensation after a truck accident is a matter of proving liability. This is done by meeting the criteria to prove negligence. Once a party is deemed negligent, they can be held responsible for paying for your damages.
After a truck accident, several different parties can be held liable for the accident.
First and foremost, the truck driver is most likely to be liable if they caused the accident through careless driving. However, if other vehicles were also involved, those drivers could also be held responsible for contributing to the accident.
When a commercial truck driver works for a trucking company, it may also be possible to sue the company for damage.
If functional issues with the truck caused the accident, there might be a case for holding the truck manufacturer, designer, or distributor responsible.
Finally, some accidents may be related to negligence by other third parties. If an unsafe roadway or construction site contributed to the accident, the responsible parties could also be involved in a lawsuit.
Generally, more parties involved means a higher chance of compensation coming from multiple sources. This can also serve to increase the overall case value of a truck accident.
Take Action After Truck Accident Injuries
The outcome of every truck accident is unique. You can only accurately assess the case value by speaking with an attorney about the details of your case. What tends to be common in all truck accidents is the high compensation available to victims.
TruckingAccident.com is a free resource and guide for those who have suffered an injury caused by a traffic accident and don’t know how to receive compensation.
Complete the online form or call (919) 341-0059 to schedule a free, no-obligation, confidential consultation with an attorney.
Truck Accident Claim Review
Complete the form to have an attorney review your trucking accident claim
