How Much Compensation Can I Expect from a Truck Accident Settlement?
January 29, 2022![Truck Settlement](https://www.bestmarylandtruckaccidentlawyers.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/6/files/sites/6/2022/01/Untitled-design-1.jpg)
Commercial trucks weigh many times more than your regular car. When you pass them, they can cause your car to sway in your lane, and if a truck collides with your vehicle, it could cause catastrophic consequences.
If you or a loved one have been injured in a truck accident, you may sustain serious and life-threatening personal injury that requires all your time and attention. Partnering with a trusted lawyer can help you focus, knowing that your legal team is working diligently to get you appropriate compensation.
Calculating the Cost of a Trucking Accident
Truck accidents cause serious injuries, many of which can leave you in pain for the rest of your life. Many truck accident injury victims also end up missing a great deal of work or are never able to work again, creating extreme financial hardship. Unfortunately, many victims also vastly underestimate the amount of money necessary to help them recover from their injuries and go about their daily lives without worrying about where the money will come from. You may be entitled to compensation from the negligent driver or at-fault party that can help you cover your needs.
Medical bills. When you get injured in a truck accident, even minor accidents can result in serious injuries and astronomical medical bills. Concussions, a common truck accident injury, can cost a victim hundreds of thousands of dollars, or more, in lifetime medical costs. The more serious your injuries, the more outrageous your medical bills will become.
Getting compensation for your medical expenses will require proof of what you have paid up to this point, but also you need to calculate your future medical needs. Your lawyer may need to rely on medical experts to help estimate how much more medical care and treatment you will need to make a full and complete recovery.
Pain and suffering. Unlike medical expenses, which can be proved with bills and credit card statements, pain and suffering is what is considered a non-economic damage. But this is certainly compensation worth fighting for, especially if you have suffered serious and life-altering injuries.
Because truck accidents are generally more severe than regular car accidents, you will probably have some level and pain that stays with you forever. Although this type of damage is hard to prove, showing how your life has been affected by your injuries can go a long way toward increasing your settlement.
Lost income. One of the biggest areas of financial strain for truck accident victims is lost income. This is also an area often overlooked by victims, many of whom do not realize they can attempt to get money for their lost income.
After a truck accident, you may not be able to return to work for some time, or at all. Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may only be able to work part-time or in a limited capacity, which reduces your ability to earn a living and provide for yourself. Getting compensation for your lost income can help you get the financial support you need to focus on your health and wellbeing.
Lost earning potential. Besides actual lost wages from being out of work, you may also be entitled to lost future income. This is more difficult to prove and may require the assistance of medical and financial experts to help accurately estimate how much money you will lose over the course of your lifetime because of an inability to work.
Although hard to prove, collecting compensation for your lost future earnings can account for a substantial portion of your overall settlement. It is worth at least exploring the options available.
Property damage. When you get into an accident with a truck, it is likely that your vehicle has suffered damage. Often, a collision with a truck will result in a totaled vehicle.
Whether you have lost your vehicle altogether or you have incurred substantial damage and repair costs, you should not bear the financial burden of those bills. Holding the negligent party responsible for your accident can help you collect compensation to get your car fixed or replaced.
Steps You Can Take to Potentially Increase Your Settlement
Your goal with a settlement is to make sure you do not have to shoulder any financial responsibility for your truck accident injuries and other financial losses. To achieve that goal, there are certain things you can do in the moments, days, and weeks after your truck accident that could help increase your settlement.
Get a police report. When you get into a truck accident, you or someone else will call 911. When the police come to the accident scene, they will speak with you, the truck driver, and any witnesses. They compile this information into a police accident report. Although their report may not assign fault and is not a binding document, it will provide details about the accident and possibly include a diagram of how the officers believe the accident occurred. Getting a copy of this report can provide vital information for your legal team.
Get medical assistance. When someone calls 911, emergency medical personnel will also come to your truck accident scene. Do not refuse their assistance. You may have life-threatening injuries for which you need immediate medical treatment and may need to be transported to the hospital. Getting fast medical care can help improve your chances of a recovery.
Take pictures and video. Collecting evidence of the truck accident will be vital to proving that someone else caused your accident and injuries. That is why taking pictures and videos is so important. Get images of your car, the truck, your injuries, the entire accident scene, and anything else that seems relevant. Your legal team will want to review this evidence to help them show the cause of your accident.
Speak with witnesses. Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may not be able to speak with witnesses to get an idea of what they saw. You should ask a trusted friend or family member to help. Although the police will speak with witnesses, not all witnesses will wait around for the police to arrive. And the information that witnesses provide can often be the catalyst that makes your case. At the very least, you should get witness contact information so that your legal team can speak with them later.
See your doctor. After you are treated for your immediate needs, you should still go see your regular physician. No one knows you better than your family doctor. They can evaluate you and determine how your injuries have affected and changed your body and your life. Your doctor will keep detailed records on your medical condition, and this information can be excellent evidence to show how much pain and suffering you have had to endure because of someone else’s negligence in causing your truck accident.
Keep a journal. As you progress through your recovery and start to get back to your regular routine, you will forget every hurdle and setback you faced. Although it is good to move on, these details can help increase the value of your truck accident settlement. Writing in a journal every day and detailing your progress, your pain levels, and any problems you may have faced will help keep these challenges fresh and provide evidence of the pain and suffering you had to endure during your recovery. Your own words and recollection can be important in increasing your settlement.
Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Advocate for Clients Injured in Truck Accidents
Truck accidents are scary and traumatic experiences. In addition to recovering from your injuries, you may need someone to advocate for you. The Baltimore truck accident lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton have the knowledge and experience you deserve in a legal advocate. We will fight to secure the compensation for which you are entitled. To schedule a free, confidential consultation, call us today at 800-547-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.
Our offices are conveniently located in Baltimore, Glen Burnie, and Prince George’s County, where we represent clients throughout Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Queen Anne’s County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Parkville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.