Getting into an accident with a commercial truck or tractor-trailer can be absolutely devastating. The sheer size and weight of such vehicles can contribute to especially serious injuries and other losses when there is a collision. In the aftermath of a truck accident, it is reasonable to wonder how much compensation you can expect to receive for your damages.
Truck accidents are often much more complicated than crashes involving regular passenger vehicles. There are likely multiple parties involved, including the driver, trucking company, and insurance companies. Because of this, there is no perfectly simple way to gauge how much compensation a person should settle for immediately after a truck accident.
An experienced truck accident lawyer can help establish the facts of your case and negotiate the fair settlement you are entitled to receive. The personal injury attorneys at Phillips Law Group have decades of combined experience in successfully litigating for Arizona accident victims.
Discussing the circumstances of your truck accident with a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer at Phillips Law Group will be invaluable in helping you know how to move forward with your case. Please contact us today for a risk-free consultation.
Potential Liability in a Truck Accident Claim
In a typical car accident, the liable party is the driver who hit you. However, depending on the circumstances of your truck accident, you may be able to hold multiple parties accountable for your injuries.
Notice some parties that could potentially be held liable for a truck accident:
- The truck driver: When determining fault in any kind of vehicle accident, the driver is the first party to consider. If it can be determined that the truck driver was impaired due to drugs or alcohol, distracted, fatigued, speeding, or otherwise negligent, then he or she could be found liable for the accident.
- The trucking company: There are extensive federally mandated safety rules that trucking companies are required to enforce. Companies are expected to closely monitor their drivers to ensure they are driving properly and that they have adequate experience and training to handle the vehicle safely. If the trucking company fails in this respect, they could be held liable for an accident.
- The truck manufacturer: Trucks are made up of thousands of moving parts. A failure in a critical component, such as the truck’s steering or brakes, could cause a serious accident. In such cases, the manufacturer of the truck or the failed part could be accountable in a product liability claim.
- The truck mechanic or maintenance provider: Large commercial trucks require frequent maintenance. If mechanics and repair shops are less than diligent, key components could fail, leading to serious accidents.
- Cargo loaders: A truck’s cargo must be loaded and secured properly to ensure that it is safe on the road. Cargo that is loaded or secured incorrectly could shift when the truck is in motion. This can affect the truck’s stability or the load could actually come loose and fly off the trailer, causing an accident.
An adept personal injury attorney will be able to identify all potentially liable parties in a truck accident and work with the insurers to negotiate a fair settlement for your damages. All the while, you can focus on yourself, your recovery, and your loved ones.
Common Injuries in a Truck Accident
Due to the size and weight of commercial trucks, injuries are often very serious. Common truck accident injuries include:
Such injuries can forever impact your quality of life. It is important that your settlement amount accounts for the full scope of your injuries, including your current condition and how much you may suffer down the road.
Potential Compensation for a Truck Accident
A serious truck accident can have extremely detrimental effects on both your physical and emotional well-being. Arizona does not place a cap on personal injury damages in most cases. Additionally, the state awards both economic and non-economic damages in truck accident cases. This means that you may be eligible to receive compensation for both monetary losses and damages that do not have a clear dollar value.
In a truck accident, you may be able to obtain restitution for:
- Property damage
- Past, present, and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Reduced quality of life
- Mental anguish
- Wrongful death
This is by no means an exhaustive list. An attorney will be able to assist you in assessing just how deeply the truck accident has impacted your life and then calculate a fair and accurate settlement amount.
How a Lawyer Who Handles Truck Accident Settlements Can Help
Insurance companies representing truck drivers and commercial trucking firms are notoriously hard to deal with. It is not uncommon for an insurance representative to contact you within days or even hours after a serious truck accident and offer you a settlement agreement. The initial settlement offer may seem acceptable to you, but it is rarely in your best interest to accept it without further negotiations.
An insurance adjuster’s priority is to pay as little for the claim against their client as possible. They will go above and beyond in order to minimize or even deny your damages. You need an advocate on your side. The personal injury lawyers at Phillips Law Group will enter extensive negotiations with insurance companies on your behalf. We are dedicated to helping our clients attain the maximum possible settlement for their losses.
Truck accidents are complicated and an arbitrary number can not be set for a fair settlement amount. Each accident is unique and has a considerable number of variables that impact the outcome of the case. Semi-truck accidents occur frequently and have varying settlements, ranging from a few thousand dollars into millions.
We recognize that you may feel stressed by the prospect of calculating the cost of your losses, which can be extremely time-consuming and emotionally taxing, but our legal team is here to help you.
Our attorneys can review your medical records, bills, receipts and invoices, and employment records. This way, we can determine the total cost of both your economic damages and other personal losses originating with your accident.
Call Phillips Law Group Right Away to Get Free Advice
We understand that you may be overwhelmed by the prospect of pursuing a truck accident claim, but please rest assured that we handle every aspect of the claim process so that you can focus on your recovery.
The personal injury attorneys at Phillips Law Group have dedicated their careers to helping families and individuals recover fair compensation during some of the most difficult times in their lives.
What’s more, we believe that qualified legal representation should be available to everyone, so we work on a contingency fee basis. This means there are no upfront legal fees for our services, and you only have to pay us if and when we resolve your claim.
If you have been hurt or a loved one has passed away due to a truck accident, please don’t wait. Call Phillips Law Group today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation. It is critical that you take timely action after a truck accident if you are looking to recover compensation. Deadlines often apply for filing a personal injury or wrongful death claim.
The sooner you initiate legal action and consult with a lawyer, the sooner our team can help you attain the restitution you deserve.
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