The amount of compensation truck accident survivors can receive for their losses varies from case to case. That said, the compensation that you’re entitled to should, at a minimum, cover your accident’s economic losses. You can work with an Indiana truck accident lawyer to discuss what non-economic damages you deserve and how to calculate those damages’ values.
Fortunately, for accident survivors or surviving loved ones, semi-trucks are usually covered by much larger insurance policies, which can allow victims and survivors a better chance of recovering full damages. That being said, the larger the policy, the more certain it is the insurance company will have attorneys fighting hard to minimize damages paid out to victims. It is critical in semi-truck cases you reach out to a well-qualified attorney who has your best interests at heart.
Vaughan & Vaughan has decades of experience helping truck accident survivors like you demand compensation from truck drivers, trucking agencies, and other liable parties. We don’t let insurance providers or corporations undervalue your losses. When you work with our truck accident lawyers in Indiana, you work with a team that prioritizes your best interests.
What Is the Average Semi-Truck Accident Settlement?
While you can refer to case precedent when you first consider a truck accident claim, you can’t guarantee that the damages you get from your case will equal or exceed the amount that other survivors have gotten from a court. In other words, there’s no such thing as an average semi-truck accident settlement.
Instead, each truck accident results in different losses. Your truck accident may see you contend with more medical expenses than someone else’s. Alternatively, you may have to replace more property than a person who got into an accident similar to yours.
That’s why it’s important to bring your case to an attorney before you establish an estimate of the case’s total value. Our attorneys can distinguish between the value of your case and the value of those that came before it. In turn, we can ensure that a liable party and Indiana court give your losses the weight and consideration they deserve.
How to Negotiate for a Fair Semi-Truck Accident Settlement
The conditions that might lead a trucking agency or corporation to offer you a settlement after a semi-truck accident can be complicated. That said, if you receive a settlement offer from a corporation, consider it carefully.
While there’s no such thing as an average truck accident settlement, an at-fault corporation may attempt to derail your pursuit of fair compensation with a blanket settlement offer. These offers may seem to cover all of your expenses at first glance. In reality, though, they may underestimate or otherwise undervalue your losses.
Our attorneys understand the different ways that corporations can try to prioritize their bottom pines over your recovery. If you bring a settlement offer to our team, we can make sure that said offer addresses each of your unique losses. If the offer seems more general than specific, we can go into negotiations and demand more coverage on your behalf.
How to Estimate Your Semi-Truck Accident Damages
If there’s no such thing as an average semi-truck accident settlement, how do you calculate the total value of your personal injury claim? You have to take the value of your economic and non-economic losses into account.
Economic Damages
Economic truck accident losses include those that generate bills, invoices, or other trackable expenses throughout your recovery. These losses – and the damages you may subsequently be entitled to – include the following:
- Medical expenses
- At-home recovery assistance
- Coverage for pain medication, physical therapy, and mobility aids
- Property damage, repair, and/or replacement
- Wages lost throughout your recovery
In truck accident cases involving the wrongful death of a loved one, your economic losses may include that person’s funeral expenses and any income lost as a result of their passing.
Non-Economic Damages
A truck accident’s non-economic damages do not generate bills. Instead, these damages address the emotional strain of your accident. You can request non-economic damages for:
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of consortium, if applicable
- Loss of companionship, if applicable
- Wrongful death, if applicable
You can turn to an Indiana truck accident lawyer to determine the economic value of these losses.
Punitive Damages
You cannot request punitive damages in your initial truck accident claim. Similarly, do not factor punitive damages into any private estimates you may make regarding the total value of your truck accident case.
Instead, think about punitive damages as an unexpected but welcome boost to your desired truck accident compensation. Only a judge can award you with punitive damages, and even then, judges only do so when they believe you to be a victim of gross negligence.
With that in mind, you can only receive punitive damages if you let your truck accident case go to civil court. You waive your right to punitive damages if you reach a settlement agreement with a liable party out of court. If you think you may merit punitive damages, discuss the opportunity to secure them with your attorney.
You can then move your case forward depending on an attorney’s assessment of your circumstances.
Can the Identity of a Liable Party Impact Your Right to Semi-Truck Accident Damages?
The party you have the right to hold liable for your truck accident losses can have an impact on how much compensation you can walk away from a court case with. That identity doesn’t change your right to comprehensive compensation, of course. Rather, identity and insurance coverage can change how much compensation a liable party can afford to give you.
For example, say you get into a truck accident with an independent contractor. That independent contractor has to cover your losses themselves, provided that a court rules in your favor. If the independent truck driver was underinsured or uninsured while on the road, they may not have the financial means to fund your recovery.
If you’re concerned about getting into an accident with an underinsured or uninsured truck driver, consider investing in underinsured and uninsured car insurance ahead of time. That said, you should also discuss how a person’s insurance status might impact your desired compensation and what roads you can take to secure the funding you may have missed out on.
Talk to an Attorney About Your Desired Semi-Truck Accident Compensation
It takes a considerable amount of resources to recover from a semi-truck accident. You shouldn’t have to empty your savings account to get your life back on track. Instead, you can work with an Indiana semi-truck accident attorney to demand compensation for your losses from the party liable for your accident.
Vaughan & Vaughan offers free case consultations to survivors contending with the aftermath of a truck accident. You can meet with our Indiana truck accident lawyers without having to worry about related legal fees. Our team works on contingency, meaning you won’t have to incur additional legal expenses while your case progresses.
Contact us through our website or by calling our office to schedule your case consultation today.
