While it can be difficult to generalize, as no two truck accidents are exactly the same, in a personal injury lawsuit, damages you can collect for a truck accident, include:
- Medical bills for past, present, and future treatments.
- The cost of medical devices.
- Lost income and lost future income.
- Loss of a limb or a sense.
- Mental anguish.
- Physical pain and suffering.
- Loss of life enjoyment.
- Funeral costs.
- Loss of companionship.
You could also collect other damages, depending on your case. Occasionally, a plaintiff in a truck accident case can receive punitive damages if a truck company or other liable party acted particularly negligently. Speaking to a truck accident lawyer can help you determine the types of compensation that might apply in your personal injury or wrongful death case.
Truck accidents can be traumatic and deadly for car drivers and passengers. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) states that most of the persons injured in truck accidents are car occupants. While a truck driver may be relatively protected, a car is easily crushed or trapped underneath a large truck in an accident, with potentially catastrophic consequences for the occupants.
However, truck accidents do not just cause life-threatening and fatal injuries for road users, but they can also lead to financial problems for those injured and their families. Devastating injuries from truck accidents can lead to permanent disability, inability to work, and mounting medical bills for years to come.
The family of someone who is severely injured or died in an accident with a truck may suddenly be left without the financial contribution of the main earner. They could also potentially lose any benefits they received through the deceased, such as health insurance.
Considering the potential effects of a truck accident, it becomes clear that any compensation for an accident where the truck driver or company was at fault, should reflect the severity of injuries and damages to the victim. The damages should also encompass any future financial losses for the injured and family due to a truck accident.
However, in practice, truck accident claims and lawsuits can be complicated, with several parties involved. Relying on the help of a truck accident lawyer can be beneficial
Injuries in Truck Accidents
The severity of injuries will likely play a role in determining a settlement when considering a truck accident award. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year, Americans spend more than one million days in the hospital due to motor vehicle accidents. Truck accidents can potentially cause serious injuries, such as:
- Neck and back injuries
- Head and brain injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Disfigurement
- Internal injuries
- Amputations
Injuries from truck accidents can be debilitating, potentially needing life-long treatment. Extensive and ongoing treatment can be expensive, which is why the severity of any injuries will typically be a factor in determining a settlement amount.
If you have recently been involved in a truck accident and have not yet received medical attention, it could be important to do so now. Sometimes, the effects of any injuries may not be apparent for a few days or weeks, and having medical reports detailing your injuries and how they relate to the accident can be important for building a case.
Acting Quickly Can Be Important
If you recently suffered injuries in a truck accident, acting quickly can be important when trying to collect damages. Immediately following an accident is typically the best time to secure any evidence and witness statements needed to determine who is at fault.
Traffic camera footage, which is typically deleted after a few weeks, may also still be available and could potentially help your case. Waiting too long can mean important evidence is lost, and witnesses’ memories might fade.
Timely action can also be important if you are thinking of filing a personal injury or wrongful death case, as the California statute of limitations generally limits any legal action to two years after the accident or death, according to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1. After this deadline has passed, you may not be able to collect any damages for your truck accident.
Pintas & Mullins Law Firm Is Here for You
If you are looking to collect damages for a recent truck accident, do not struggle by yourself. We can help you hold a trucking company or other liable party to account. If you have suffered severe injuries or lost a loved one, your focus should be on healing and moving on from an upsetting and traumatizing accident. We can assist you with all aspects of building your case. We can also negotiate with insurance companies and represent you in court.
Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today for a free evaluation of your truck accident case at (800) 794-0444.