What Is the Average Semi Truck Accident Settlement Amount?
Getting injured in an automobile accident can be devastating, but when an accident involves a semi-truck, it can often result in death or permanent injury. If you have lost someone to an accident that a semi-truck driver caused or if you have been injured in a semi accident, you are likely to have filed an insurance claim. Dealing with a semi-truck accident can be very difficult, and you might wonder how much money to expect from the insurance company.
There is no set amount for any personal injury settlement. However, you may be able to recover damages for financial loss as well as pain and suffering. Illinois is a tort state when it comes to automobile accidents. This means that the person responsible for a car accident is also responsible for its associated bills.
Economic Losses From a Truck Accident
There are a few typical expenses one will incur when injured in an accident with a semi-truck. You are likely to have medical bills. They could include surgeries, visits to the doctor, physical therapy, massages, and alternative treatments. You can also be compensated for any kind of medicine that you may have had to take as a result of your injury. The negligent driver might be responsible for any future medical expenses you will have.
The driver who caused the accident should pay for any damages to your vehicle as well. In the case of an accident with a semi-truck, your car may have to be replaced.
When you have an accident, you should get your employer to write a letter detailing the amount of time you have had to take off work because of your injury. You should document any money that you have had to spend on help around the house.
Suppose you intended to travel somewhere prior to your injury and purchased a non-refundable airline ticket or vacation package. In that case, you may be able to receive compensation for that as well.
Non-Economic Damages
An accident with a semi-truck will often result in a settlement that includes money for pain and suffering. This is a legal term for the physical and emotional distress that the court considers compensable.
If you are depressed or your quality of life has lessened, it may qualify as pain and suffering. If you have experienced embarrassment due to permanent scarring, an attorney may be able to convince an insurance adjuster or a judge that you should receive compensation for that as well.
When a person is permanently disabled or simply unable to enjoy a normal life, they may also qualify for pain and suffering compensation.
Although there is no set amount for pain and suffering, an insurance company may use a couple of methods to calculate a fair dollar value. An insurance company that uses the multiplier method will take your level of pain and multiply it by the amount of your medical bills. When this method is employed, pain is rated on a scale from one to five.
For example, if your medical bills totaled $10,000, and your pain was rated a 2, you would get $20,000. If your pain and suffering were at a 3, you would get $30,000.
The per diem method may also be used to determine a fair amount for pain and suffering. When this method is used, an insurance adjuster will figure out how much money your time is worth on a daily basis. They will then compensate you for each day you suffered as a result of the accident.
Wrongful Death
Losing a loved one to an accident is a very traumatic experience. You must file a lawsuit for wrongful death if your family member has died as the result of an accident. You should always have the assistance of a professional attorney in the case of a truck accident. Knowing who to sue may be challenging in itself. In some cases, you may have to sue the driver of the truck, and in other cases, you will sue the company for which they worked.
You will only have one or two years to file a wrongful death claim in Illinois. The amount of time you have will be determined by the court and based on the circumstances of the case.
You can sue for the amount of income you have lost and will continue to lose due to your loved one’s death. You can sue for funeral expenses as well. You can also sue for the loss of emotional support and companionship you have lost because of that person’s death.
In order to file a wrongful death suit, you must be a dependent child or the surviving spouse of the decedent. If the deceased had no spouse or children, a sibling or parent might file a wrongful death suit.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are awarded to a plaintiff when a driver has acted in a way that is extremely negligent. They are specifically designed to punish the defendant. The person who caused the accident, or the trucking company itself, must have acted in a willful and wanton way.
There are many regulations that truckers and trucking companies must obey in the Land of Lincoln. Drivers must be 21 years of age or older and pass drug and alcohol tests. They can only work 11 hours a day, and they must have had 10 hours off prior to the beginning of their shift. They must also inspect their vehicles regularly, and they are required to have a commercial driver’s license.
If a trucking company did not check for drugs and alcohol or they did not check their trucks for maintenance regularly, you may be able to recover damages.
Truck accidents are fairly common in this country. If you have lost someone to an accident or if you were injured, you should do your research and find an attorney who can get you the maximum amount for your injuries and pain and suffering.
