Key Takeaways:
- Average Settlement Amounts Vary Widely: Truck accident settlements in Atlanta are typically higher than those for car accidents. The settlement amount can vary based on various factors, like the extent of injuries, medical costs, and property damage. Settlement amounts can range from tens of thousands to millions of dollars. It’s hard to determine an exact average because of these varying factors.
- Multiple Factors Determine Damages: Calculating compensation for damages caused by a truck accident involves several factors. These factors include physical injuries, medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and future losses. The amount of compensation awarded is determined by the negligence of the truck driver, the quality of the personal injury lawyer, and evaluations made by insurance companies.
- Importance of Legal Representation: When looking for compensation after a truck accident, it’s important to hire a lawyer with experience in this area. Insurance companies often offer settlements that are much less than what you deserve. A good lawyer can negotiate with the insurance company and other parties to make sure you get a fair settlement.
The damage suffered by truck accident victims is nothing short of catastrophic.
Commercial trucks are so massive that they cause much more harm than accidents involving two passenger vehicles.
And when they are hauling several tons of cargo, the results of a trucking accident is even worse.
Accident victims hurt in these accidents deserve compensation for their medical bills and property damage.
But how much should your truck accident settlement in Atlanta be worth? What’s the average semi-truck accident settlement?
We’ll take a look in the article below.
What Causes Truck Accidents?
Truck accidents are almost always severe because of the sheer size of commercial trucks.
Truck drivers can’t stop as quickly as smaller vehicles because of that size and their momentum.
They also can’t steer as sharply without risking a jackknife or a rollover.
Truck drivers also have less visibility than passenger vehicles and can’t see the cars around them at all times.
And, truck accidents are still on the rise despite more stringent laws to regulate the trucking industry and more awareness of the dangers of driving near big rigs.
There’s a wide variety of causes for truck accidents in addition to what we’ve already mentioned.
Truck drivers are often overworked and often drive exhausted to meet their deadlines, leading to bad judgment or falling asleep behind the wheel.
Even if they are awake and alert, they can encounter adverse weather conditions that make it hard for anyone to drive.
They may also have issues with their cargo not being appropriately loaded that shifts while driving, causing them to lose control of the truck.
Their air brakes or another part of the truck could also fail, causing an accident.
The hardest part about truck accident claims is that many different parties could be negligent in the accident.
Unlike a motor vehicle accident involving smaller vehicles where a driver is typically responsible, the responsible parties in a trucking accident include the driver, the trucking company, the shipping and loading company.
How Are Damages Determined After a Truck Accident?
Getting a fair settlement after a trucking accident requires calculating your damages correctly.
If you have severe injuries after a truck accident, there are several types of damages you can receive compensation for, including:
- Physical Injuries: The extent of your injuries and resulting medical treatment will determine the damages you receive. Physical injuries after an accident have to be confirmed by a medical expert who can determine the nature and extent of your injuries. The medical evidence presented by your truck accident attorney and medical experts will determine the extent of the injury.
- Medical Costs and Property Damage: Your medical bills and vehicle damage will also be factored into the amount of compensation you can recover after a trucking accident. Medical care expenses must be directly related to the accident and not due to a pre-existing condition or injury after the accident. The expenses must also be deemed to be medically necessary. All property damage must also be a result of the accident.
- Pain and Suffering: Pain and suffering damages can be awarded when your overall quality of life suffers after the crash. Pain and suffering is determined by the extent of mental anguish and emotional trauma you experience during and after the accident, physical limitations, the extent of disfigurement, loss of consortium or loss of companionship, loss of enjoyment, and the loss of a loved one. If you can’t return to your normal life, you will be awarded more pain and suffering damages.
- Lost Income: If you miss work because of the accident and resulting injuries, these lost wages can also be factored into the damages incurred from the trucking accident. This includes the time it took you to recover after the accident and missed work due to medical appointments or treatments following the trucking accident. Again, you’ll have to provide evidence for any lost wages.
- Future Losses: If you cannot return to work or maintain employment because of the accident, you can be awarded future income. This is usually due to a permanent loss of movement or even a traumatic brain injury after a truck accident. Even if you intend to return to work but you can’t perform the same job resulting in a loss of income, you can be compensated for this. Whatever plans you had for the future can even be considered for your settlement if they can be proved and estimated.
What’s The Average Semi-Truck Accident Settlement?
The average truck accident settlement is almost always much more significant than your average car accident settlement.
However, it’s hard to declare an average because the circumstances surrounding each truck accident will vary greatly, like who the at-fault party was and how severe the damages are.
Financial compensation for some truck accidents settle for tens of thousands, and others settle for hundreds of thousands or more.
Some truck accident settlements may run into the tens of millions of dollars, sometimes more.
The amount of money your truck accident claim is worth is dependant upon several important factors.
These factors include the severity of your injuries, medical expenses, how your personal life has been altered following the accident, pain and suffering, and the severity of the property damage.
The financial settlement also depends on the negligence of the truck driver.
If the driver wasn’t paying attention, driving recklessly, or not obeying the traffic laws, the driver will be held more responsible for the accident.
Your lawyer and the insurance companies will total your economic damages and non-economic damages after the accident to determine how much you will be paid.
The quality of your personal injury lawyer will also affect how much you receive in your settlement.
An experienced truck accident attorney will know how to go against the insurance companies and anyone else involved in the accident to get you what you deserve.
Talk to a Truck Accident Lawyer in Atlanta for Free Today
All of these factors will be considered when calculating the settlement value of your Atlanta truck accident case.
Keep in mind that the insurance company will likely offer you a settlement that is way below the amount you and your legal team calculate.
That’s why it’s essential to work with an Atlanta lawyer who knows how to negotiate a fair settlement, especially if you have a catastrophic injury.
At Mabra Law Firm, our goal is to get you total compensation for your damages.
We’ve helped countless truck accident victims get the money they deserve.
To discuss your truck accident case with us during a free consultation today, click the button below.