An accident with a commercial truck or big rig can prove devastating for car occupants and other road users. An average 18-wheeler can weigh around 80,000 pounds—compare that with the average car, which weighs about 5,000 pounds. It quickly becomes clear who typically suffers greater property damage and injuries in an accident involving the two. Collisions with large, heavy trucks rarely end well for the victims.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), 2017 saw 4,889 large trucks and buses involved in fatal crashes. Apart from fatalities, crashes with large trucks can cause horrific injuries that may need extensive and costly treatment, sometimes over many years. Victims of accidents with commercial vehicles may never fully recover, becoming unable to return to their work. The Texas Department of Transportation notes that all drivers, including truck drivers, must have a liability insurance policy. Texas is a fault state, so if the truck driver caused the accident, they will likely be financially responsible for injuries and damages.
If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a truck accident, a Dallas truck accident lawyer could help you hold the driver or trucking company to account for your costs and suffering. Call Ben Crump Law, PLLC, today at (844) 430-1030 to speak with a team member about your legal options and next steps.
Compensation for Truck Accidents
Injuries from truck accidents can be extensive due to the sheer size and weight of a big rig. Victims can suffer head and brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, bone fractures, severed limbs, lacerations, and many other substantial injuries. If you or a loved one suffered extensive injuries, you could potentially recover economic damages.
Medical Bills
Awards for medical costs can include any surgeries, hospitalizations, rehabilitative therapies, and medical transportation, among other expenses. You can claim for any past, present, and future costs associated with the injuries from a truck accident.
Lost Wages
You could receive past, present, and future lost wages connected to injuries from a truck accident. If you suffered severe or permanent injuries, you might not return to work for a long time, if ever. Any settlement should reflect compensation for lost income and future earning capacity.
Property Damage
If your car suffered damage in an accident, you could receive an award to repair your vehicle or the replacement value if the insurance company considers the damage a total loss. You may also recover compensation for other property damage in an accident, including damaged or destroyed items such as cell phones, laptops, and other things.
Out-of-Pocket Expenses
You could also receive reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses connected with your injuries and property damage, such as car rental or rideshare transportation costs.
Funeral Expenses
If your loved one died from their truck accident injuries, you could recover any funeral or burial expenses with a wrongful death lawsuit.
For a free legal consultation with a truck accidents lawyer serving Dallas, call (844) 430-1030
Non-Economic Damages
There could be other awards due to you after a truck accident. In addition to economic compensation, you could also receive non-economic awards, depending on the severity of your injuries. Non-economic awards are more subjective, as they do not come with a receipt for a specific dollar amount.
A Dallas truck accident lawyer can help you determine which non-economic damages may be due to you. Call Ben Crump Law, PLLC, today to discuss your case with a team member and see if you qualify for these awards.
Pain and Suffering
If you have suffered debilitating injuries, you could claim awards for your physical pain and emotional suffering.
Loss of Life Quality
Sometimes, injuries from a truck accident can change a victim’s life to the extent that they can no longer partake in activities or hobbies they used to enjoy. In these cases, you could receive compensation for loss of life quality and enjoyment.
Loss of Companionship
If your loved one died after an accident with a truck, you could obtain compensation for loss of companionship and loss of guardianship for any children.
Depending on your unique truck accident case, you could also receive other non-economic awards. You could also receive punitive damages if the at-fault driver’s actions were especially egregious.
Dallas Truck Accident Lawyer Near Me (844) 430-1030
Calculating Your Damages
Calculating adequate compensation can prove a challenge, especially when you have suffered injuries that may require future treatment. You might find it helpful to contact a Dallas truck accident lawyer who knows how to calculate your damages.
If someone else caused your accident and injuries, you should not have to pay for any damages. A truck accident attorney can help to adequately protect you from any future costs arising from the crash.
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Truck Accident Liability
To receive any compensation, you will have to prove liability and negligence of the at-fault party. In truck accidents, this can become particularly challenging, as several parties could have liability, including:
- The truck driver
- The trucking company
- The cargo-loading company
- A third-party vendor servicing and maintaining the trucks
- The truck manufacturer
Proving liability in truck accidents can become a long and complicated process. You might need substantial evidence to establish fault and liability. Some of the evidence you might have to collect can include:
- Accident reports
- Photographs of the scene and any damaged vehicles
- Traffic camera footage
- Truck black box data
- Truck company service records
- Truck driver logbooks
- Witness statements
Building a case against a truck driver or company can also entail a considerable amount of technical research and may require accident reconstruction specialists and other expert witnesses. However, you do not have to investigate the accident by yourself. A Dallas truck accident lawyer can help you gather evidence and find witnesses while keeping an eye on the two-year statute of limitations set by Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003.
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We Can Fight for You
Taking on a trucking company by yourself can be a lot of hard work. Their insurance company will most likely put up a fight and try to get you to accept a lowball settlement that may not adequately cover all your damages now and in the future.
We recommend not accepting any settlement before speaking to a Dallas truck accident lawyer who can analyze their offer and determine if it is fair. We can work in your best interests and fight for your rights and compensation. We can also represent you in court if necessary.
If you suffered injuries and incurred expenses in an accident that was the truck driver or truck company’s fault, you should receive adequate compensation. Call Ben Crump Law, PLLC, now at (844) 430-1030 for a free case review with a team member.
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