Truck accidents are highly variable, and the settlement amount will be different for someone with mild injuries, someone with more serious or possibly permanent injuries, or someone who lost a loved one in the accident. For this reason, it’s difficult to give an average settlement amount, and it wouldn’t tell you much about your own potential claim. Instead, we’ll discuss the potential damages and how a Georgia truck accident lawyer will help you determine what your specific case is worth.
The CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm was founded by attorney Ali Awad and swiftly became the fastest-growing law firm in the country. Our experienced investigative team has the know-how you need for a successful truck accident claim, and we’re always available for a free consultation. Please contact us to learn more about what your damages may be worth.
What Are Damages in a Semi Truck Accident?
In order to determine a reasonable amount of compensation to seek from the insurance company, your lawyer will need to discuss the following potential damages with you:
Medical Expenses
Your attorney will ask you to gather all your current medical bills. If you’re still in treatment, they may estimate your future costs or wait until your treatment is complete to finalize a settlement. In the event that you need continuing care for the rest of your life, your attorney will estimate those costs.
Remember that medical expenses include mobility aids, like wheelchairs, canes, crutches, or power chairs, as these are often expensive (and not necessarily covered by insurance). You should also include travel expenses if you have to drive significantly far to see a specialist. Physical therapy or rehabilitation may also be a surprise cost, because many people initially believe it’s covered by their health insurance. Often this is true, but only up to a set amount of appointments. For example, if your insurance carrier only pays for twenty PT sessions a year, and you need more than that to recover from your truck accident injuries, you may receive an unexpected bill on the day of your twenty-first session.
If you need mental health care related to your accident, these costs should also be added. Semi truck accidents are often extremely traumatic, and accident victims may develop anxiety, depression, insomnia, PTSD, or other mental health concerns afterward. You should be able to seek treatment without worrying about the costs your health insurance doesn’t cover.
Lost Income
A semi truck could weigh anywhere from 35,000 to 80,000 pounds. It’s no surprise that when a semi crashes into a smaller vehicle, that vehicle’s occupants are at high risk of multiple serious injuries, including broken bones, dislocated joints, internal bruising or bleeding, head and brain injuries, back and spinal cord injuries, and more. You may be hospitalized and unable to work for weeks or even months due to these issues. Many people burn through their paid time off, then find themselves without any income if they’re still recovering. Both paid and unpaid days off should be counted toward your lost income, as you could have used your paid days off in other ways.
Future lost income is also a consideration. If your injuries result in a permanent disability or chronic pain, you may not be able to return to your job at all, especially if your work was physically taxing. Some people can only work part-time after their accident, or they have to switch to a less demanding job that may not pay as well. All these situations lead to a reduction in future income, which your attorney will estimate as part of your damages.
Property Damage
This is usually limited to the repair or replacement cost of your vehicle. Due to the previously mentioned severity of damage likely with truck accidents, many accident victims find their vehicle is totaled. An estimate for the repair work or the car’s Blue Book value will be used to determine the amount of property damage. If other expensive items were damaged in the crash, such as a laptop or phone, you can include these repair or replacement costs as well.
Pain and Suffering
This one is a little harder to determine, because you don’t have a bill or an amount of income you lost, but your physical and emotional pain is still a damage. Your attorney will ask about your pain, the duration, and the difficulties you continue to face, and discuss with you what might be an appropriate amount for your pain and suffering.
Permanent Disability or Disfigurement, Loss of Enjoyment of Life
This is a separate damage from lost future earnings, although many people have both. Even if you are still able to work, you also deserve compensation for any disability or disfigurement you sustained in the accident. As with pain and suffering, this damage doesn’t come with a specific number attached, but the more severe your disability, the more compensation you should receive. Your attorney will want to discuss your limitations, activities you are no longer able to participate in, and other ways your disability has affected your life.
Wrongful Death
Losing a loved one is a terrible tragedy. No amount of money can bring your loved one back, but for some people, the compensation from a wrongful death suit can bring them a sense of closure or justice. It may also allow you to move forward with your life, without worrying how you will pay your bills or care for your children.
There are multiple damages possible in a wrongful death lawsuit. Loss of consortium or companionship refers to the positive effects of a relationship with the deceased party – their love, care, guidance, advice, support, etc.
If your spouse provided all or most of the financial support for your family, you may want to seek compensation for the income they would have earned if they’d survived. This is often helpful for surviving spouses who don’t want to immediately return to the workforce at a time when their children need them more than ever. Other families find that the decedent’s life insurance policy didn’t cover as much as they’d expected, especially after paying for funeral costs (another damage you can include in your losses).
Under O.C.G.A. § 51-4-2, the surviving spouse may bring a wrongful death suit, and if there is no surviving spouse, the decedent’s children may bring one. You only have two years from the date of the death to file with the court, so if you think there’s any chance your loved one’s death could have been prevented, we recommend speaking with a wrongful death attorney as soon as possible.
Learn More About the Average Settlement for an 18 Wheeler Accident Similar to Yours From the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm Attorney
The best way to find out about settlements for accidents is to talk with a Georgia semi truck accident lawyer. We encourage you to contact us at the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm for a free consultation about your accident. There is no obligation, and if you wish to move forward, we won’t charge you anything until we settle your case. Call us now at 833-254-2923.
