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What Damages Can You Recover After a Truck Accident?

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Anyone injured in an accident at no fault of their own can file for damages to receive compensation for the accident. This is especially true if someone is injured in an accident involving a commercial trucker.

There are two types of damages an individual can file for.

Economic Damages

These types of damages involve a direct financial component. Economic damages are any tangible, out-of-pocket expenses, or financial losses an individual suffered due to the accident. These include:

  • Ambulance expenses;
  • Hospital bills;
  • Ongoing treatment and medical care;
  • Rehabilitation or therapy;
  • Future medical bills;
  • Prescription medicine;
  • Insurance co-pays;
  • Property damage; and,
  • Lost wages.

Additionally, if an individual has to make accommodations in their surroundings, such as adding a wheelchair ramp to their home because they are now confined to a wheelchair, they could also seek damages for that.

The amount of compensation someone receives for these expenses depends on how much the individual has to spend out-of-pocket. Compensation is determined by the victim submitting copies of bills and medical records to insurance companies or the court.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-Economic damages don’t necessarily have a price tag like the damages above. While some damages do have monetary value, there are more damages that are subjective and are determined a monetary value by the court or a jury.

Some of the most common non-economic damages include:

  • Pain;
  • Emotional suffering;
  • Loss of enjoyment or being with others; and
  • Reputational damage.

These types of damages are harder to prove as there is not a financial component to them. One person’s satisfaction of life may not equal another’s, so there is not a set price tag on what each of these damages tangibly means to a person.

So how do courts or juries decide on the compensation someone should receive for non-economic damages? They will often consider:

  • Statements made by the victim about their pain and suffering;
  • Statements made by the victim’s family or friends about the victim’s pain and suffering from their point of view;
  • Examples of how the victim’s quality of life has lessened because of the injuries; and,
  • Evidence showing that the victim can longer do activities or hobbies as before or to the same quality of enjoyment.

When to Contact Lanier Law Group, P.A.

The heavyweight attorneys at Lanier Law Group, P.A. will go the distance for you. We’ve recovered millions of dollars for our personal injury clients and will fight so you can have the best possible outcome. We have offices across North Carolina:

Contact us for a no-obligation, free consultation to see how we can help — call us at (855) 757-4204 or fill out our online form.