Truck accidents are widely known to be more dangerous than typical car accidents. Statistics show that truck accidents cause a greater number of fatalities than standard automobile accidents, as well as more severe injuries. This is because large trucks can weigh as much as 20-30 times as much as typical vehicles and are built in such a way that they can destroy vehicles in particularly dangerous ways. As a result, many truck accident victims face damages in the thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“When looking for a truck accident lawyer, Virginia residents should accept no less than the best of the best,” says Jim Williams, Principal at Burnett & Williams. “Hiring the right personal injury attorney can make or break your truck accident claim to get the compensation you deserve for your truck accident case under Virginia law.”
The costs that truck accident victims face in truck accident cases
The hard costs of a commercial truck crash or other automobile accident build up quickly. Medical bills for treatment can cost thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on the complexity and duration of the care required for recovery and rehabilitation. Property damage can be expensive. And time missed from work can limit a person’s income while they recover. However, it is often the less tangible costs that present an even bigger burden for accident victims.
It is important to note that not all injuries are immediately visible at the scene of an accident. Even if you might seem fine at first, you may face injuries like spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, or whiplash that can only be diagnosed by a doctor. If you delay getting medical treatment and these injuries manifest with symptoms later, the costs for treatment and rehabilitation can be even more extreme.
In severe accidents, victims may also face catastrophic injuries that could contribute to future medical expenses. Some injuries can be rehabilitated temporarily to provide immediate relief for victims, but may require surgical intervention in the future. Other injuries may require ongoing care for the rest of the victim’s life, especially if the injury has caused such effects as paralysis or other permanent disability.
Severe injuries may also contribute to significant losses in earning potential for victims. Most accident victims will have to take at least a few days or weeks off work to recover from the initial accident, but some may find themselves unable to ever return to their original job, at least at the capacity they once worked. For example, if a victim works in a manual labor job such as construction but faces serious mobility issues, they may not be able to work ever again.
And while people often think of their jobs as the only thing that disability causes the loss of, the long-term effects of an injury can impede a person’s ability to conduct daily tasks. This can be particularly burdensome if the victim is the family’s homemaker, responsible for duties such as childcare, cooking, or cleaning. If an injury renders someone unable to complete these tasks, the cost of hiring someone else to do them can be expensive, especially over a period of several years.
Finally, the most obvious intangible cost a victim faces after an accident is pain and suffering. In addition to the expenses that an injury brings, people may lose the ability to do the things that make them enjoy life.
That being said, it can be hard to quantify the cost of pain and suffering. Because of this, personal injury lawyers often use a multiplier of hard expenses, such as medical bills and lost wages, to determine how much to ask for pain and suffering in a personal injury claim.
Hire a Virginia truck accident attorney for your truck accident claim
“If you have been the victim of a truck accident in Virginia and want to maximize your chances of getting fair compensation for the damages you suffered due to the actions of a negligent truck driver, you should consult an experienced personal injury attorney,” says Williams.
Hiring the right lawyer will help you add credibility to your personal injury case, as attorneys have access to a network of resources that help level the playing field against the multibillion-dollar trucking companies and their insurers. A personal injury law firm with a track record and reputation for winning large truck crash cases will put greater pressure on the insurance companies to pay out, as they could risk losing more if your case goes to court.
“You shouldn’t have to face undue financial or emotional burden due to an accident caused by someone else’s negligence,” Williams concludes. “Contact a Virginia truck accident attorney today for a free consultation. These expert lawyers will review your case and determine if they can help get you a fair settlement to recover compensation for the damages you have suffered.”