Truck accidents are some of the most serious kinds of motor vehicle accidents. There’s just no way a passenger car or SUV can withstand the impact of a tractor-trailer. Not only is the truck much bigger than a car, but it is also usually hauling a pretty heavy load. People who survive these accidents are usually entitled to a significant amount of compensation. However, if you want the best chance of collecting damages, you should consider hiring a truck accident lawyer in Columbus.
Lawyers who are familiar with the trucking industry know the laws and regulations that commercial truckers must follow. They understand that, if they can prove the driver violated one of these regulations, it’ll be rather easy to prove negligence. When we first meet with truck accident victims, it’s usually from their hospital beds. Our job is to handle the legal side of things so you can focus on what’s important – recovering from your injuries.
Here, we’ll talk about the different types of compensation you can receive in a Georgia truck accident. We’ll also briefly touch on what you have to do to receive these damages.
Your Georgia Personal Injury Attorney in Columbus Must Prove Negligence
Before you even think about damages, you’ll need to find a way to prove your case. In almost every truck accident lawsuit, your truck accident lawyer in Columbus will have to prove negligence.
Establishing negligence requires that you prove the following:
Duty of Care
First, you must show that the defendant owed you a duty of care – This isn’t difficult to prove. All drivers owe other motorists a certain duty of care. At a minimum, they have to follow all the local traffic laws. When the accident involves a trucker, they’re also required to follow certain federal regulations.
Breach of Duty
The next thing your attorney has to prove is that the defendant breached their duty. In a trucking accident, you may be able to show that the truck driver was carrying a larger-than-normal load. Or maybe there’s evidence that they were speeding.
If your truck accident lawyer in Columbus can demonstrate that they didn’t behave the way a reasonable driver would given the circumstances, it’ll go a long way toward proving negligence.
Damages
The third thing you must prove is that you were hurt. This includes both physical injuries and financial losses. It’s not enough that you’ve been involved in a truck accident. You also have to show that you suffered a loss.
Causation
Again, it isn’t enough to show that you were involved in a crash. You have to show that your injuries were caused by the defendant’s negligent behavior.
If you prove these four elements, there’s a good chance you’ll be entitled to damages.
Your Columbus Truck Accident Lawyer Will Demand Damages
If you were seriously injured in your truck accident, you’ll be entitled to damages. The only way to know what kind of damages you can claim is to meet with a skilled truck accident lawyer in Columbus. They have handled dozens, if not hundreds of truck accident cases. They know when you claim damages and how much you can demand.
Of course, you’ll be entitled to money to pay to fix or replace your vehicle. The different types of damages in Georgia personal injury cases also include the following:
Medical Bills and Future Medical Bills
Not surprisingly, if you end up with a ton of medical bills, you can demand the defendant reimburse you. Keep in mind that they’ll also have to reimburse your private health insurance company if they covered any of your medical care.
You can also demand compensation for any future medical care you may need. For example, if your doctor says you need to have another surgery in a year or two, your lawyer will find out how much this future medical care will cost. Then they’ll add this to your claim.
Lost Wages
If you missed more than a week or two from work because of the crash, you can demand compensation for lost wages. Typically, you can’t claim this type of damage if you have personal or vacation time to cover the days you missed. That’s why most personal injury lawyers in Columbus only include lost wages if you missed a considerable amount of time.
Lost Future Income
This is different from lost wages. Imagine that you are not able to work as a result of your truck accident. If that’s the case, you’ll end up on disability. This means you’ll probably receive less than what you used to make.
You should be compensated for the difference between what you would have made and what you will now receive. Your attorney will then multiply this amount by the number of years you have left to retirement.
Pain and Suffering
If your injuries were serious, you’ll likely be entitled to pain and suffering. These damages are meant to compensate you for any mental or physical anguish you suffered. The general formula for determining these damages is to multiply your medical bills by three. So, if your medical bills were $100,000, your truck accident lawyer in Columbus will demand that you be awarded $300,000 in pain and suffering.
It’s important to remember that you won’t receive every type of damage. It all depends on the facts of your case.
Contact an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer in Columbus Right Away!
People who get injured in truck accidents usually need to focus their time on their physical recovery. The last thing you’ll want to do is fight with the insurance company. That’s why you should call an experienced truck accident lawyer right away. Our personal injury attorneys in Columbus have decades of combined experience handling cases just like yours.
All you have to do is call our office and schedule your free, initial consultation. You can sit down with an associate who can answer any questions you may have. They can also explain the different types of damages you can demand in your case. Since this first meeting is free, it’s in your best interest to attend.
The other important thing about hiring a skilled truck accident lawyer in Columbus is that you don’t pay anything upfront. In fact, you won’t pay a dime until your case is settled.
