People call personal injury lawyers after accidents for one reason: to get the money they need to get back on their feet. But the amount of money that victims can receive varies significantly from accident to accident.
In most cases, the more severe the accident and the worse the injuries, the more compensation victims may be entitled to receive. That means that certain types of accidents are more likely to result in big settlements than others.
Big trucks outweigh passenger vehicles by up to 75,000 pounds, and when the two collide, drivers and their passengers can be seriously injured. Does that mean those victims are eligible for more compensation than if they had collided with another passenger vehicle?
Injury Claim Value Depends on Many Factors
On average, truck accident claims ARE worth more than auto accident claims. But a single auto accident claim can be worth far more than a truck accident claim in certain circumstances. Here’s how the value of claims, whether they’re truck accident claims or car accident claims, is decided:
- How serious are the injuries? Someone who suffers a catastrophic injury, such as paralysis, loss of a limb, or permanent disability, will typically receive more money for their accident than someone who suffers less severe injuries like broken bones or soft tissue injuries.
- How long will the injuries affect the victims? Serious injuries may result in less compensation than less serious injuries if the latter are expected to have more consequences. For example, a broken bone may be more severe initially, but it will heal. But nerve damage, despite being initially less serious, can result in permanent disability and reduced quality of life.
- How do the injuries affect victims’ paychecks? Medical bills can result in “sticker shock” for injury victims and their loved ones. A single ambulance ride can cost thousands of dollars. But those expenses may pale in comparison to the costs of months, years, or even a lifetime of disability and lost earnings. Even just a few weeks unable to work while recovering from injuries can dangerously endanger many people’s financial security.
It’s important to have a lawyer on your side who can determine the full costs associated with your injury and persuasively and confidently present them to the insurance company
Truck Accidents Are More Likely to Result in Serious Injuries
Although a truck accident can result in no injuries or only minor injuries, and a low-speed fender bender can result in serious injuries, truck accidents usually result in severe injuries or even death. That means that truck accident victims and their families are more likely to receive bigger settlements than people involved in car accidents.
Filing a personal injury claim involves calculating all expenses associated with the accident, and then presenting those expenses to the insurance company and demanding fair payment. That’s why truck accident claims are often “worth” more than car accident claims, as the total of expenses and pain and suffering can be greater for those victims than many other types of injury victims.
More Parties Are Liable for Truck Crashes
Another factor that can make truck accident claims worth more than car accident claims is the number of parties that can be liable or sued for damages. With passenger vehicles, injured victims can usually only file compensation claims against the other drivers. But with truck accident claims, four or more parties can be held liable, including:
- The truck driver—Just as in car accident claims, negligent truck drivers can be held liable if their negligence causes a crash.
- The truck owner—Third-parties often own trucks that are driven and used by other parties. However, truck owners must ensure their trucks are maintained and road-worthy.
- The truck company—Companies that use trucks to do business must ensure they’re loaded safely and properly, and when they overload them and crashes occur, they can be held liable.
- Another driver—Sometimes, liability for a truck accident is shared by another driver who swerved in front of, cut off, or otherwise endangered a truck driver, resulting in a separate accident.
Even Truck Accident Claims Can Be “Lowballed” Without Legal Representation
Although truck accident claims are typically worth more than car accident claims, that potential can be lost when victims don’t have experienced legal advocates on their side. Insurance companies always want to pay victims as little as possible, even when their damages are significant and multiple parties may be on the hook for their expenses.
Don’t let a substantial injury claim turn into a subsistence injury claim. Contact the Oklahoma City truck accident lawyers at Parrish DeVaughn today for a free consultation. It’s our goal to protect your rights to the money you’re owed.
