If you or somebody you care about has been injured due to the careless or negligent actions of a truck driver or trucking company, you are likely entitled to significant compensation. However, securing this compensation can be challenging, particularly when dealing with aggressive insurance carriers and well-funded trucking companies. The first step in ensuring that you are treated fairly is properly determining how much your truck accident case is worth. This is easier said than done, and we strongly recommend that you work with a skilled Philadelphia truck accident attorney who can use their resources to assist you throughout this entire process.
Factors That Affect a Truck Accident Claim’s Value
There are various factors that can affect the total value of a truck accident claim. This includes the following:
- Total medical costs. One of the most expensive aspects of a truck accident claim is the potential medical care of the victims. There is no way to properly value a truck accident claim without first knowing the total medical care a victim will need. Under no circumstances should any truck crash victims settle until they have reached what their doctor considers maximum medical improvement.
- Total property damage. Vehicle damage caused by a truck crash is often severe. The vehicle that is damaged will need to be properly inspected and appraised before a final value can be set.
- Lost wages. Truck crash victims often cannot work while they recover from their injuries. This can lead to a significant amount of lost wages. Additionally, if a victim becomes disabled due to the incident, this could have a permanent effect on their ability to earn an income.
- Amount of pain and suffering. There are various types of non-economic losses that a victim can sustain, including emotional distress, loss of quality of life, mental anguish, and more.
- Liability. Pennsylvania operates under a modified comparative negligence system. This means that the crash victim can still recover compensation so long as they are not 50% or more at fault. However, the total amount of compensation will be reduced based on the percentage of fault assigned.
Why is an Attorney Necessary?
It is critical that any truck crash victim in Philadelphia seek assistance from a skilled attorney as soon as possible. Most crash victims do not have the resources available to fully investigate their claim and properly assign value to their case. However, an attorney can use the full resources of their office and their legal expertise to advocate on behalf of their client. Truck crash victims can rely on their attorney to investigate the entire incident and work with trusted medical and economic experts.
How Often do Truck Accidents Occur?
Truck crashes do occur in Pennsylvania and throughout the Philadelphia area. According to data available from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, we can see that there were 7,036 total heavy truck crashes across the Commonwealth during the latest reporting year. Unfortunately, these incidents often lead to severe injuries and even fatalities. Federal data shows that a large commercial truck can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds when fully loaded. When a vehicle of this size and weight strikes a smaller passenger car, the results can be catastrophic.