After a crash involving a commercial vehicle, you may want to know the actual settlement amounts for truck accidents like yours. During your research, you may come across estimates that claim to be accurate.
Unfortunately, these calculations don’t tell the full story of your accident. At Tawney, Acosta & Chaparro P.C., our Texas truck accident attorneys can help determine the true value of your case based on your specific circumstances.
What Are the Actual Settlement Amounts for Truck Accidents?
Although you may see estimates of 18-wheeler accident settlements in Texas online, we recommend speaking with an attorney about the value of your case. Generally, these estimates include only publicly available settlements.
Since many settlements remain confidential, any average published online may be misleading. To get an accurate estimate, an attorney needs to take all the unique aspects of your case into account.
Your injuries, your ability to continue your career, and the defendant’s share of liability all play a part in determining your case value. If you need a job transfer or lifelong care due to an injury, your expenses may differ from another case, even if it seems similar at first.
For this reason, it’s important to have your case evaluated by an experienced Texas truck accident attorney.
Damages Based on Case Type
Truck accidents often result in severe injuries or even death. As a result, many truck accident cases fall into one of two categories: personal injury or wrongful death. Each case type involves different types of recoverable damages.
In a personal injury case, the victim brings a claim against the defendant for negligently injuring them. The claimant or victim may pursue a variety of economic and non-economic damages, including but not limited to:
- Current and future medical expenses,
- Lost wages during recovery, and
- Pain and suffering.
In a wrongful death case, a personal representative of the deceased brings an action on behalf of their surviving family. While the damages differ slightly in these claims, they still include things like medical treatment costs and lost wages. However, they also include:
- Funeral expenses,
- Loss of consortium for a spouse,
- Loss of support and guidance, and
- Emotional anguish.
In Texas, certain wrongful death claims have a cap on non-economic damages, so it’s essential to consult an attorney who knows how this applies to your case.
Economic vs. Non-Economic Damages
Economic damages are the tangible losses you incur as a result of the accident. This includes any expense or loss that can be calculated using bills, receipts, or paychecks. In contrast, non-economic damages are the subjective losses you sustain after, for example, being rear-ended by an 18-wheeler.
Settlement amounts vary widely because these are intangible losses that have different ways of being calculated. For example, if your injury prevents you from participating in a regular hobby or activity, your attorney may multiply your economic damages by a whole number to determine your non-economic losses.
Or, maybe they will calculate your losses per day of recovery. Ultimately, it depends on the emotional and physical discomfort that your injury causes. Permanent injuries usually command higher non-economic damages than temporary ones, but there may be exceptions depending on the circumstances.
Need Help Calculating Your Settlement? Call Us Today
While many websites claim to know the actual settlement amounts for truck accidents, they don’t know the unique aspects of your case. At Tawney, Acosta & Chaparro P.C., our truck accident attorneys in Texas can help calculate the potential settlement for your claim based on the facts of your case.
To schedule a free case review, call us at 575-222-1000 or contact us online.
Alejandro Acosta
Mr. Acosta is a lifelong resident of El Paso. He graduated from Cathedral High School in 2000 and graduated from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio in 2004. Mr. Acosta went on to attend Sandra Day O’ Connor College of Law (Arizona State Law School). He graduated in 2008, receiving his J.D. and his Indian Legal Certificate for his work in Indian Law and dealings with various tribal nations throughout Arizona. Alejandro has been licensed to practice law in Texas since 2008 and has been licensed in the State of New Mexico since 2011.
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