A 2023 study based on data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found Indiana to be the ninth most dangerous state for truck drivers and other motorists. It found that nearly 12% of the life-endangering motor vehicle accidents that occur in Indiana each year involve large trucks. Hire a truck accident lawyer to help if you’re ever in a crash that includes a truck.
Truck accident cases are often trickier than regular car accident cases for a variety of reasons. It’s sometimes difficult to pin liability on just one at-fault party in a truck accident case. Truck drivers, trucking companies, truck part manufacturers, and even cargo loading companies can all play a part in causing truck accidents through their negligence.
Still, you shouldn’t let this stop you from reaching out to a truck accident lawyer in Indiana for assistance. Review the kinds of compensatory damages you can pursue in the aftermath of a truck accident below.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are typically compensatory damages that are easiest for an Indiana truck accident lawyer to calculate. Attorneys can look at the financial toll a truck accident has taken on you to determine how much compensation to ask for from the defendant in your case.
Common examples of economic damages include:
- Medical bills
- Property damage repair costs
- Lost wages
- Funeral expenses
- Legal expenses
If the injuries sustained during a truck accident prevent you from moving forward in your career, you might also find yourself in a position to recover economic damages for lost earning capacity. You can even look into recovering compensatory damages if you suffer permanent disabilities or injuries that you know will call for additional medical treatment in the future.
Non-Economic Damages
While a truck accident lawyer won’t have too tough of a time calculating economic damages, non-economic damages are usually a different story. It’s challenging to put a specific price tag on some of these damages, especially if you don’t have an experienced personal injury attorney in your corner.
Common examples of non-economic damages include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of companionship
- Permanent scarring and disfigurement
Trying to calculate what non-economic damages are worth can present a problem if you don’t have the right legal representation by your side. A trusted truck accident attorney can calculate these damages based on the impact a truck accident has had on your life.
Punitive Damages
Attempting to collect punitive damages isn’t possible in a handful of states, including Michigan, Nebraska, and Washington. You can, however, try to collect punitive damages in a truck accident case in Indiana.
Punitive damages, also known as exemplary damages, provide compensation following a truck accident while also serving as a punishment for the responsible party. Your truck accident lawyer will need to prove that a truck driver demonstrated gross negligence and intentionally reckless behavior before your truck accident.
For example, you might have the right to collect punitive damages if a truck driver was intoxicated at the time of your crash with a blood alcohol content level two or three times the legal limit.
Indiana does put a cap on punitive damages. You can only receive three times the amount of any economic or non-economic damages or $50,000, depending on which number is higher.
Call a Truck Accident Lawyer To Help You Pursue Compensatory Damages
Are you interested in trying to recover compensatory damages following a truck accident? Let a truck accident lawyer from Stewart & Stewart Attorneys lead the way. Contact us at 1-800-333-3529 for more information.