How to Obtain Compensation from a Truck Accident

A truck accident often involves significant injuries due to the great strength behind commercial trucks. Accident victims may not know how to pursue compensation against the party responsible for the accident.

If you were injured in a truck accident, the experienced truck accident attorneys in Fort Worth, TX from Anderson, Cummings & Drawhorn, LLP can help. We can explain your rights and pursue maximum compensation for the injuries that you have suffered. We can explain the types of damages that you may be eligible to receive and how we can help you get compensation for them.

Call (817) 920-9000 now to schedule a free consultation.

Economic Damages

Economic damages are damages that can be traced to a specific economic loss. For example, if you were injured in the accident, you will need medical treatment, which creates medical bills.

Another type of economic loss from a truck accident is lost wages for the time you missed at work because of your medical treatment.

The value of economic damages is often linked to the size of the truck in the accident. The bigger the vehicle, the more severe your injuries are likely to be. This increases the cost of your treatment.

The type of truck and its cargo can also have an effect on the value of your damages. Some common truck types include:

• Transporter trucks – These vehicles are too large to be used on the highway without a special permit. They include trucks that are used in mining operations, ballast tractors and haul trucks.
• Heavy trucks – Heavy trucks weigh up to 33,000 pounds. They include garbage trucks, cement mixers, refrigerator trucks and log carriers.
• Medium trucks – These trucks weigh between 14,001 and 26,000 pounds. They include box trucks, platform trucks, firetrucks and motorhomes.
• Light trucks – Light trucks weigh up to 14,000 pounds. They include panel trucks, delivery trucks and tow trucks.

Oiler Tanker Trucks

Oiler tanker trucks are designed to carry liquefied loads, including natural gas and oil. These types of trucks can be very dangerous on the roadway due to their combustible nature.

An accident involving this type of truck can result in explosions or fires, leading to potentially catastrophic injuries or fatalities. The damages a victim can recover from an oil tanker truck accident can be very high due to the severity of damage they tend to cause.

Non-Economic Damages

You may also be entitled to non-economic damages, which include compensation for the suffering that you have sustained that cannot be easily quantified. Examples of non-economic damages include:

• pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Lost companionship
• Inconvenience

The value of these damages depends greatly on the types of evidence you are able to provide, such as a daily journal describing your pain and suffering, medical records, and testimony from doctors and medical experts about the non-economic effects of your injuries.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are different than other types of damages that are established to try to compensate you for your losses and make you whole again. These damages are designed to punish the wrongdoer or to deter similar actions in the future.

Punitive damages are usually only awarded in cases based on intentional misconduct or when the defendant acted in a willful disregard of the safety of others.

Workers’ Compensation Damages

If you were working at the time of the accident, you may be able to receive workers’ compensation benefits. If you are a truck driver who was injured in the accident or were driving a company vehicle or personal vehicle while performing your job duties, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation, even if you were partially at fault for the accident.

Workers’ compensation damages include partial wage replacement and payment of medical expenses. Depending on the type of injury, you may be able to obtain a lump-sum payment or death benefits.

How Can a Lawyer Help Me?

If you or a loved one was injured in an accident involving a truck, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and damages. The experienced Fort Worth personal injury attorneys at Anderson, Cummings & Drawhorn, LLP are knowledgeable about all aspects of the trucking industry. We can help identify all parties who may bear financial responsibility for your injuries.

We can investigate the circumstances surrounding your accident and see if the truck driver or trucking company was violating a state or federal trucking regulation at the time of the crash. We can review evidence to see if the at-fault party violated log book rules, hours of service regulations or others.

Our lawyers have prior experience working on similar cases and can use this experience to advance your case. You may not realize the full economic impact of the accident, but your personal injury attorney can be sure that your demand for compensation incorporates future anticipated expenses, such as a decreased earning capacity and continuing cost of rehabilitation.

The skilled law team at Anderson, Cummings & Drawhorn, LLP can review the facts of your case and discuss all options for obtaining compensation. Your attorney can handle all negotiations with the insurance company.

Our attorneys can fight for your right to maximum compensation, and we can discuss your legal options during a free, no-obligation, confidential consultation.

Fill out our Free Case Evaluation form or call (817) 920-9000 now to schedule your free consultation.