What Kind of Damages Can You Demand in Your Truck Accident Case?

October 15, 2024

If you have been in a truck accident, you may experience serious injuries, leaving you unable to work and take care of yourself. Instead, your time will be consumed by medical appointments, forcing you into debt to get the care you desperately need.

In 2022, the United States was home to 4,764 truck crash fatalities. With truck accidents on the rise, an increasing number of individuals are plagued with the ramifications of such trauma. If you or a family member have fallen victim to a truck accident, our Ventura truck accident lawyers can determine what compensation you may be able to obtain.

The Dangers Posed by Large Trucks

Commercial trucks increase the risk of severe injury, fatalities, and vehicle damage, as evidenced by the following:

Given the weight discrepancy and longer stopping distances, a crash between a large truck and a passenger vehicle is likely to cause significant injuries and damage. Even so, truck drivers and other affiliated parties can and should be held accountable for their negligence.

Parties That May Be Held Liable in a Truck Accident

If you have been involved in a truck accident in Ventura or the surrounding area, the following parties may be held liable:

Recoverable Damages in a Truck Accident Case

Truck accident victims may be entitled to both economic and noneconomic damages. Both compensatory damages are actual losses sustained by a personal injury plaintiff (as opposed to punitive damages, which are designed to punish the wrongful party). Let us examine the differences between the two.

Economic Damages

Economic damages are any losses that have a direct bearing on a person’s finances. In a truck accident case, economic damages may include, but are not limited to:

Noneconomic Damages

Actual losses that impact your emotional or mental health but do not take money directly out of your pocket are considered noneconomic damages. If you are injured in a truck accident, noneconomic damages may include, but are not limited to:

At Bamieh & De Smeth, PLC, we use the multiplier method to calculate noneconomic damages. In using this method, our Ventura truck accident lawyers assign a number based on your severity of injuries (on a scale from 1.5 to 5). We will then take this number and multiply it by your economic damages to calculate your total noneconomic damages.

Here is an example of the multiplier method in action:

[$100,000 of medical expenses] + [$30,000 of lost wages] + [$40,000 of vehicle repairs] = $170,000 total economic damages

$170,000 total economic damages X [4 multiplier] = $680,000 pain and suffering damages

We prefer the multiplier method over the per diem method since it fairly compensates injury victims and does not discriminate based on income class.

Speak with a Ventura Truck Accident Lawyer Today

For over a decade, Bamieh & De Smeth, PLC, has helped hundreds of truck accident victims recover fair compensation. If you find that insurance negotiations are stalled or you are repeatedly getting offered low settlements for your truck accident case, please reach out to our experienced team of attorneys. To arrange your free case evaluation with a Ventura truck accident lawyer, contact us online or by phone today.