Types of Compensation You May Be Able to Collect After a Truck Accident
Truck accidents can lead to painful injuries, expensive medical bills, emotional damages, and missed working hours. However, the good news is that you have a right to seek compensation for damages if you are not the person who caused the crash. The damages you can claim for a truck accident depend on the specific losses experienced.
One of the first things you should do after the collision is to contact a truck accident lawyer. You should not divulge a lot of information to law enforcement agencies or insurance companies before speaking to your attorney.
There are many types of damages available for truck accident victims. They include economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages. To increase your chances of getting fair compensation, engage a truck accident lawyer.
Economic Damages
Also known as special damages, economic damages cover losses with a fixed monetary value. Below are the most common types of economic damages you can claim:
Medical Expenses
After a truck accident, you are allowed to collect damages for all medical expenses related to the accident. These may include:
- Doctor bills
- Emergency medical care
- Prescription medication
- Hospital stays physical therapy
- Other long-term medical care
You will need to see a doctor as soon as possible after the truck accident to prove your medical damages. Considering the severity of a truck accident, seek quick medical attention after the crash.
Seeking treatment is important for two major reasons. It provides you with an idea about the seriousness of the injury, and it proves to the insurance company how severe your condition is. If you take long before seeking treatment, the insurance company may think that your injuries were not serious enough to warrant compensation.
You should also adhere to all the instructions given by the doctor. Failing to do so may give the insurance company or truck driver a reason to claim that you didn’t do as instructed to reduce the damages.
Lost Wages
If the truck accident causes injuries that make it impossible for you to go to work, you also have a right to seek compensation for lost wages. This is important for many victims of truck accidents. Failing to go to work means you won’t get paid and hence are unable to pay your bills.
You can also claim for “loss of earning capacity” if the injuries from the truck accident prevent you from returning to work in your previous capacity. Your Las Vegas truck accident lawyer can offer further guidance on this.
Property Damage
Truck accidents normally cause a lot of damage to a vehicle or vehicles involved. Even in a collision with a truck at a low speed, the damage can be extensive. You have a right to seek compensation after a truck accident for any damages caused to your vehicle. It can either be in form of repairs or replacement.
Property damages can also mean personal items like watches, electronics, jewelry, and any other personal property. Take into account any form of property damage during the accident.
Transportation
In case you are required to travel to a certain place to see a doctor, for example, to treat accident-related injuries, you can also claim compensation for the travel costs.
Legal Fees
Some legal fees can also be collected in your compensation suit. This includes court-related fees and other legal-related expenses.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages include things such as:
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Fear
- Anxiety
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
Punitive Damages
Sometimes victims of truck accidents are also allowed to collect punitive damages. As opposed to compensating the victim of the injuries, punitive damages are meant to punish the driver at fault.
Rebuilding Your Life After a Truck Accident
In a nutshell, there are three types of damages you can claim in case of a truck accident. These include economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages.
Crystal A. Davis
How does one combine a passion for journalism with a strong sense of justice? For Crystal A. Davis, the choice was simple: legal journalism. Born and raised in a family of attorneys but wanting to approach the law from an investigative angle, Crystal decided that people would not hear her voice in the court, but online, in magazines, journals, and other platforms. When she is not studying active lawsuits closely to report on them, she writes public-friendly articles detangling the complicated threads representing the American legal system.
