How Much Is My Semi-Truck Accident Injury Claim Worth?

How Much Is My Semi-Truck Accident Injury Claim Worth?

Accidents involving large commercial trucks often result in severe injuries and extensive property damage. Any person who sustains losses due to the careless or negligent actions of a truck driver or trucking company should be able to recover compensation. However, the total amount of compensation paid for a semi-truck accident will vary based on factors related to each particular situation. Here, we want to discuss how much your semi-truck accident may be worth, and we specifically want to examine the types of compensation that may be available.

What Factors Influence Semi-Truck Claim Amounts?

There are a variety of factors that affect how much a truck accident claim will be worth in California. For relatively minor accidents, a claim may be worth only a few thousand dollars. However, it is not uncommon to find truck accident claims worth several hundred thousand dollars. Some of the factors that can affect claim amount include the following:

• The severity of the injuries. We will find that the more severe the injuries, the more likely a person will be to recover higher compensation amounts. For example, a person who sustains a spinal cord injury will likely receive much more compensation than a person who only sustains a concussion as a result of the truck accident.
• Total property damage. Property damage will play a role in how much compensation a person receives after a truck accident. Brand new cars will likely result in higher property damage claims than older vehicles, which will all be dependent on the severity of the incident.
• Whether a victim can work. Truck accident victims who are unable to work in the aftermath of an incident will likely receive compensation for lost income, which could reach significant amounts for more severe injuries.
• Level of pain and suffering. The physical pain and suffering and the emotional and psychological distress that a truck accident victim incurs will be a factor in the total compensation awarded in these cases.

There may be various types of compensation available to semi-truck crash victims in California. This will include both economic and non-economic compensation.

• Economic compensation refers to types of losses that are relatively calculable by gathering bills or receipts after a semi-truck crash. This can include compensation for medical bills, lost income, property damage expenses, general household out-of-pocket expenses, and more. 
• Non-economic compensation refers to more immeasurable losses after a semi-truck crash in California. This includes the types of losses that are not as easily measured, including pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, etc.

How Often do Semi-Truck Crashes Occur?

Data presented by the National Safety Council shows that large commercial trucks accounted for 10% of all vehicle involved fatal incidents during the latest reporting year across the country. In total, during that year, we can see that 5,005 large trucks were involved in a fatal crash. Additionally, the NSC also notes that 118,000 large commercial trucks were involved in injury-causing collisions.

The reality is that the state of California relies on semi-trucks to keep the economy rolling smoothly. These vehicles are all over the roadways, and it is crucial to work with a skilled Orange County truck accident lawyer if you or somebody you love has been injured in an accident involving a truck driver or trucking company.