Key Takeaways:
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.
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.
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:
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.
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 The 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.