How to Reach a Fair Settlement Agreement After a Truck Accident

If you have ever driven on a major highway, you understand that driving next to a large commercial truck can be dangerous. Trucks are heavier, larger, and more challenging to maneuver than passenger vehicles. Commercial truck drivers are required to take special training to operate a truck. Even after training safely, it can still take truck drivers several years to become experienced on the road. Because of their significant size and weight, an accident involving a commercial truck generally results in more significant property damage, more severe injuries, and a greater likelihood of fatalities than accidents involving only passenger vehicles.

Truck accidents frequently result in more significant injuries. As a result, victims of truck accidents often require higher settlement awards. For example, due to the large size of trucks, they are more likely to crush motor vehicles when they collide with them in an accident. Even a relatively minor accident with a commercial truck can cause devastating damage to your vehicle. The more damage to your vehicle, the greater the compensation you may be entitled to receive.

Additionally, in most large vehicle accidents, the injuries victims sustain are much more serious. Victims are more likely to sustain traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Serious brain injuries can sometimes render a victim unable to live independent lives. They may need ongoing rehabilitation, surgeries, and caregiving services. Truck accidents can also cause spinal cord injuries that may result in partial or total paralysis. Other catastrophic injuries include internal organ damage, loss of limbs, and permanent neck, back, or disc injuries that cause long-term pain and suffering. the more severe an injury, the more likely it will require additional medical expenses and rehabilitative costs.

More serious injuries caused by truck accidents can take longer to heal. Depending on the injury, it may not heal completely. For example, many victims who suffer traumatic brain injuries may have ongoing symptoms for the rest of their lives. The same goes for those with spinal cord injuries. With rehabilitation, some symptoms can improve, and a patient may be able to gain some additional movement or independence. Still, they may also have to contend with debilitating symptoms for the rest of their lives. Catastrophic injuries can require long-term treatment and ongoing medical care, which may last for the victim's life and total over a million dollars.

Truck injuries are often more serious, and victims may offer a loss of income and reduced earning capacity for longer. When victims cannot return to work because of permanent disability, they will lose the ability to earn an income for the rest of their lives. These damages can increase the compensation the victim is entitled to receive from his or her truck accident settlement.

Dealing with a catastrophic injury or disability can be painful and emotionally draining. Long-term injuries generally include increased pain and suffering. Victims experience physical pain from their injuries and need painful physical therapy. The victim may also experience mental anguish and emotional challenges due to the trauma of the accident and the loss of the ability to engage in activities they once loved.

As you can see, victims of trucking accidents can suffer expensive and painful consequences. Your steps after the truck accident can help you obtain a fair settlement amount. The first thing you can do is undergo medical treatment and keep all of your medical documentation. Receiving medical treatment immediately after the accident can help you prove the severity of your injuries and that the truck accident caused your injuries.

After receiving medical care, you should reach out to an experienced personal injury attorney. Only provide the insurance company with a recorded statement once your attorney reviews your statement and helps you create it. You should only accept a settlement offer with your attorney reviewing the offer. Your attorney will be able to evaluate your claim and determine your case's value. After that, your attorney can begin negotiating aggressively with the insurance company. If they fail to offer you a fair settlement amount, you may need to take your case to trial.

The Charlotte personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, understand how devastating being injured in a truck accident can be for victims. That is why we fight hard for our clients to obtain the total compensation they need and deserve. Contact Arnold & Smith, PLLC, today to schedule a free case evaluation and learn more about how we can advocate for you.