Following a truck accident, you likely have a lot of medical bills and other expenses piling up, and an insurance claim simply won’t cover them in full. However, the extent of your injuries and how the accident occurred will determine the type and amount of compensation you may be eligible for.
Every truck accident is different, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach to calculating damages, and each case requires a careful evaluation of the facts, evidence, and long-term impact on your life.
At Regan Zambri Long, our award-winning truck accident lawyers can help determine the damages you qualify for and seek the compensation you deserve from the liable party. We’re available 24/7 and we cover all case costs, so you don’t pay unless we win your case.
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After truck accidents occur, there are two types of damages you may recover: economic damages and non-economic damages. For financial recovery of any type to occur, you need to collect evidence and seek legal advice right away.
Economic damages are those that are measurable and contain a set dollar amount as the result of truck accident claims.
These damages may include:
In order to collect these losses, you need to keep a record of medical records, have a doctor to help you calculate the trajectory of your injuries to determine future expenses, collect pay stubs, record physical pain, etc.
If a wrongful death case emerges as a result of personal injury from the accident, you will also need funeral and burial costs, as funeral costs do not come out of medical damages collected.
For those losses that do not involve a set dollar amount, the court will assign a non-economic reward.
To collect compensation for non-economic damages, you must establish that the following occurred:
If the driver’s behavior was particularly reckless, the court may also add punitive damages to your award. Punitive damages are given in addition to the economic and economic awards.
No one can force you to hire a truck accident attorney. However, there are benefits to doing so. The main being that you will likely be granted more damages for the truck accident than if you had handled the claim or lawsuit on your own.
A Regan Zambri Long truck accident attorney can help you collect the maximum damages for a truck accident by:
The most important thing is that you do not accept a settlement offer from the insurance companies until you have met with an experienced truck accident attorney. Otherwise, you will be barred from collecting further compensation.
Given the sheer size of semi-trucks versus passenger cars, it’s no surprise that truck accident victims often become severely injured, even in the most minor of accidents involving these large trucks.
The average semi-truck is 40 tons or 80,000 pounds, while the average automobile is only 5000 pounds, meaning property damage is extensive.
Though semi-truck drivers must abide by rigorous state and federal laws, when a truck driver acts negligently, the trucking company does not practice their due diligence, or mechanical failure occurs, these motor vehicle collisions can occur resulting in devastating consequences.
In order to begin the process of collecting recoverable damages for your truck accident injuries, you must first prove liability against the other driver. This includes understanding fault and no-fault insurance policies.
If you live in a no-fault state, your insurance will cover injuries and related damage up to a set amount. , your insurance will cover injuries and related damage up to a set amount. However, each state has minimum coverage limits that insurance companies must offer, so be sure to check with your policyholder. If your truck accident claim exceeds that amount, you may be able to go directly after the other driver to recover the remainder of your losses.
In fault states, the driver who caused the accident has to use their insurance to pay for your losses. But to do so, you must prove liability against the trucker. In these cases, your insurance company will begin an investigation to determine fault. Sometimes, the driver or the truck company may offer a settlement quickly–but that does not mean you have to take it.
Instead, meet with truck accident lawyers who can help you calculate medical costs and damages to cover the cost of your vehicle. In the case that you may be accused of also being at fault, an experienced truck accident lawyer will be able to help you negate liability by proving the truck driver, trucking company, manufacturer, etc., was not exercising reasonable care.
Truck accidents happen for a variety of reasons however, some of the causes may lead to a greater sum of compensation to you as a victim, especially if the truck driver was negligent.
Common causes of truck accidents that show the truck driver was negligent include:
According to the most recent Large Truck Crash Facts available from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, driver-related factors are identified in 33% of fatal crashes involving large trucks in 2022. Among these, speeding was the most frequently recorded factor, while careless or inattentive operation was the second most common. The data also shows that 6% of large truck drivers involved in fatal crashes tested positive for at least one drug. These findings highlight how behaviors such as distraction, fatigue, and impaired driving can contribute directly to serious truck accidents.
While there are instances where the driver may not have been negligent yet the crash still occurred, you will need a truck accident attorney who can navigate these claims and determine why the accident occurred.
If you or a loved one were involved in an accident with a large truck, a passionate lawyer from Regan Zambri Long is here to help you seek compensation. For almost 30 years, we have helped car accident victims collect millions in damages and, in the case of a wrongful death claim, helped surviving family members pursue compensation following a free legal consultation.
The strength of your legal representation can play a significant role in the outcome of your claim, particularly when it comes to securing full and fair damages.
At Regan Zambri Long, our founding partners are all board certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, a distinction held by only about 2% of attorneys, and each is AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest peer-reviewed rating available. All six partners are also named among Lawdragon’s nationwide list of the 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers, with senior partner Salvatore Zambri additionally recognized among the 500 Leading Lawyers in America. Partners Patrick Regan, Salvatore Zambri, and Paul Cornoni are ranked among the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Washington, DC, with Salvatore Zambri included in the Top 10, reinforcing the level of experience and recognition behind every case we pursue.
If you live in Washington, DC, Maryland, or Virginia, a truck accident attorney at Regan Zambri Long can provide a free case evaluation. Depending on the conditions of your truck accident case, we may be able to help you recover damages for your losses.
Schedule your free consultation and begin forming an attorney-client relationship by calling (202) 960-4746 or completing our online form.
Have you or your loved one sustained injuries in Washington DC, Maryland or Virginia? Regan Zambri Long PLLC has the best lawyers in the country to analyze your case and answer the questions you may have.