Semi-truck accidents are often infamous for being more deadly and destructive than your typical car accident (and for good reason). Unfortunately, some of America’s nastiest vehicle accidents involve semi-trucks and other large commercial trucks. If you find yourself in a tragic situation where you’re involved in an accident with a semi-truck, here are some post-accident settlement facts that you simply must know about.
What Kind of Damages Are Commonly Awarded?
After being a victim of an accident involving a large truck or semi-truck, many people ask themselves this important question: what types of damages can I be compensated for? Currently, there are many different forms of pain and suffering that you can be compensated for, including property damage, emotional distress, medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of quality of life, punitive damages, lost income and wages, loss of future compensation, and many more potential damages.
The sooner you find a trusted truck accident lawyer to help with your case, the sooner you’ll discover which types of damages you might be owed by the truck driver who harmed you. Finding a way to move forward in a timely and effective manner will help you reclaim your life post-accident, after all.
Can I Expect a Large Settlement from a Semi Truck Accident?
When calculating a settlement amount in a semi-truck accident lawsuit, the court and/or lawyers will begin looking at all the types of damages you’ve suffered, and begin calculating their impact on your life. Due to this, the average truck accident settlement can differ wildly, especially from state to state.
However, there is a method to the madness. The more evidence you have of a truck driver being at fault, the better. Additionally, if the truck driver was under pressure from their company to behave in a reckless way (such as speeding or hauling an oversized load), you can seek out a much larger settlement.
While an exact average of the amount you can expect from a semi-truck accident is hard to determine, you can expect a large settlement overall. Because these accidents are more dangerous than your average car accident, and because they often involve corporations as well as just drivers, they can lead to much larger settlement amounts than car accidents typically lead to. This is why having a lawyer by your side to fight for the maximum amount possible for your suffering is so essential (but more on this point later).
Determining Who’s at Fault in a Semi Truck Accident
As we mentioned above, truck driving lawsuits often deal with more than just the truck driver and the victim. Because truck drivers are usually working for (or with) other professionals and companies, the litigation can become more complex than your average car accident lawsuit.
The truck driver’s employer, the warehouse they’re working with, shipping companies that are involved, and the many other potential truck driver partners involved will often play some type of role in the lawsuit by the time it’s concluded.
Anyone involved in creating a victim of a large truck accident must be held accountable for the consequences of their reckless behavior, after all.
The insurance policies that truck drivers carry can further complicate the idea of who’s at fault and legally responsible for a truck accident as well. This can also complicate who will be paying you for your pain and suffering
Semi-truck companies are legally required to carry insurance for their drivers, and for accidents those drivers cause. However, the truck driver responsible for your accident might have their own insurance as well.
Depending on the state you’re in, and the nature of your case, you may have the ability to get restitution from either just one of, or both, of these parties. The more chaotic the accident you were involved in, the more complicated the case it will lead to can become.
Keeping Yourself Protected By Hiring a Semi-Truck Accident Attorney
If you want to ensure you’re getting the compensation you deserve after being involved in a semi-truck accident, you need to hire a semi-truck attorney who’s been around the block a few times before. They can help you understand all the different parties involved in your suit and will help you gather evidence and deal with insurance agents as well.
You’ll need time to recover and regain your strength after a devastating truck accident, so let a professional take the reins and guide you through this difficult time instead. Doing so can help improve your mental health post-accident, and will help you recover in a much more efficient, and faster manner.