Survivors of truck accidents and car accidents can expect to recover the same types of compensation. Since trucks are larger and can inflict more severe damage compared to an average passenger car, truck accident survivors may, in some cases, expect to receive more compensation than car accident survivors.
If you want help assessing your case’s worth or negotiating with the insurance company for a fair settlement, you can always contact a Dallas personal injury lawyer who can advise you on what legal action to take.
Damages You Could Recover After a Car or Truck Accident
No matter what kind of vehicle you were in, you are entitled to fair compensation for:
- Physical injuries and symptoms
- Emotional trauma and distress
- Financial losses and expenses
- Professional setbacks and losses
- Other accident-related expenses and future costs
Non-Economic Damages for Traffic Crashes
The physical and psychological consequences of your crash are included under the label “non-economic damages.” Common intangible losses you can seek after any motor vehicle accident include:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Loss of independence and impaired quality of life
- Loss of consortium
- Permanent disabilities
- Temporary disabilities
- Disfigurement and scar tissue
Economic Damages for Traffic Crashes
If you lost or spent money because of your accident, this is an “economic loss.” You could potentially recover reimbursement for the following:
- Temporary loss of wages and benefits
- Long-term loss of earning capacity
- Loss of employment or employment opportunities
- The cost of vocational rehabilitation training
- Medical expenses and treatment-related travel expenses
- Property damage, especially to your vehicle
800-285-HURT (4878)Available 24/7 | 356 Days | se habla español
Can Truck Accident Survivors Recover More Than Car Accident Survivors?
That depends. The kind of collision you were in does not determine your compensation but rather how extensive your accident injuries are. Consider these hypothetical examples:
- Person A suffers severe and permanent nerve damage in a truck accident. Person B suffers a painful sprain and some lacerations in a car accident. In this case, the truck accident survivor (Person A) would probably be eligible for more money than the car accident survivor.
- Person C was sideswiped by a truck, whereas Person D was hit head-on by another car. The damage to Person D’s vehicle is likely greater than the damage to Person C’s, so in terms of property damage, Person D’s car accident case is worth more.
- Person E and Person F both make $75,000 a year, and both miss the same number of work hours. They can, therefore, sue for the same monetary amount in lost wages.
Proving You Deserve Motor Vehicle Accident Compensation
The financial recovery you can expect from a truck accident compared to a car accident also depends on what evidence you collect to prove your case. You can hire a personal injury lawyer to investigate your accident by collecting materials from:
- The police, who were the first on the scene and have either completed or are working on an official crash report.
- Your doctor, who can provide medical records and possibly a statement about your physical and mental suffering.
- Eyewitnesses, who can tell your truck accident attorney what they remember seeing that day and even share any photos or video footage they took.
- Your friends and family, whether they were also in the accident, who can talk about how the crash affected your life.
Comparing Truck Accident Cases to Car Accident Cases
In many ways, the law treats car accidents and truck accidents the same. In both events, the survivors:
- Must heed the relevant statute of limitations. How much time you have to file your case depends on where you live. In Texas, for example, you must start a case within two years, per Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003. This deadline applies to crashes and truck crashes.
- Can collect compensation that reimburses them for the injuries they sustained due to the accident.
- Can hire a motor vehicle accident attorney early in the process to make things easier for them. There is no reason why you should take on the burden of handling a case by yourself when a law firm can do all the work for you.
Key Differences Between Motor Vehicle Cases
For all their similarities, when comparing truck crashes to car crashes, critical differences do emerge:
- Truck accidents may involve more parties than car accidents, making them more complicated to deal with. The more parties there are, the longer your case may go on for.
- Trucks are considerably heavier and larger than cars. They can, therefore, inflict more serious injuries, which can lead to longer, more complex legal proceedings.
- Trucking companies are very large and powerful organizations that retain legal counsel for exactly this kind of situation. It is often harder to deal with trucking companies than with a passenger car owner.
800-285-HURT (4878)Available 24/7 | 356 Days | se habla español
Responsibilities of Truck Accident Lawyers Versus Car Accident Lawyers
If you plan on hiring a lawyer, you should choose one with whom you are compatible and has experience with your case type. For example, some personal injury attorneys take truck and car crash cases, while others deal only with one or the other.
Personal injury law firms should always be there for their clients in their hour of need. You can seek help from such a firm by:
- Requesting a case review (many firms offer this service for free).
- Asking its attorneys what experience they have with cases like yours and how they might handle your case specifically.
- Allowing them to handle all legal tasks for you, including filling out paperwork and negotiating with the insurer for a settlement.
- Being honest with them about everything you remember from the day of the crash.
- Telling them promptly if you have questions or if there is a new development (e.g., the insurer tries to contact you).
We Help Truck Accident and Car Accident Survivors Seek Compensation – Call Us Today
At Loncar Lyon Jenkins, we are committed to helping the survivors of injury crashes and fatal crashes complete the legal process, no matter the vehicles involved or how complex their cases are. We believe a negligent party must be held accountable for reckless behavior, so we help injury victims demand the financial recovery they deserve.
To learn about your rights and legal options, including the compensation you can expect from a truck accident compared to a car accident, call our legal team today for a free consultation. We offer free evaluations to all callers.