Truck accidents are not as common as car accidents, but they do happen a lot. Truck accidents can be much more disastrous than car accidents. Trucks are huge in size. They are ten times bigger than a car and weigh around eight tons. Now, imagine a machine that weighs 8 tons and hits at a speed of 55 mph. It would completely crush the car and result in grievous consequences.
The victims of truck accidents will sustain a lot of losses. They can recover these losses by filing a personal injury claim. However, the victim should prove their case. They can do this with the help of truck accident lawyers. These lawyers can help in all phases of a truck accident case and obtain fair compensation for the victims.
Usually, truck accident victims sustain two types of losses: economic and non-economic. Economic losses are fairly easy to prove compared to non-economic losses. This blog post explores the different types of non-economic losses you may sustain in a truck accident.
Post Contents
Non-Economic Losses
Most people ignore the non-economic losses they sustain, thinking that they can’t claim compensation for them. But you should know that personal injury law allows victims to claim compensation for non-economic losses too. The following are some of the non-economic losses that truck accident victims may sustain:
- Pain and Suffering
- Mental Anguish
- Loss of Quality of Life
- Loss of Consortium
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life
Pain and Suffering
It is obvious that you will sustain many injuries due to the accident. You will receive compensation for the expenses you incurred to treat those injuries. But what about the pain those injuries inflict on you? You go through pain and suffering because a random trucking company was negligent in hiring or forcing their drivers to violate the hours-of-service laws. It is unfair, and you should be compensated for it.
Mental Anguish
Truck accidents cause mental stress too. The aftermath of truck accidents can be overwhelming. The victim will have to take care of a lot of things while dealing with the injuries. Victims go through a lot of mental trauma. Some victims, in the worst cases, even have a fear of getting back on the road. This stress and mental trauma should be compensated for.
Loss of Quality of Life
Victims of truck accidents have a high chance of sustaining permanent disabilities. Also, it can cause injuries like spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries. It leads to not being able to carry out everyday tasks. What you were able to do without anyone’s help before the accident will become something that you can’t do without assistance. This leads to a reduced quality of life.
Loss of Consortium
Many truck accident victims don’t make it out alive. As said, a truck is much larger than a car and can crush it easily. So, deaths are pretty common in truck accidents. The surviving family may sue the negligent party for the loss of their loved ones. Only the immediate family can file for loss of companionship.
Loss of Enjoyment of Life
As said, truck accidents can result in permanent disabilities. You might not be able to take part in the fun activities you once loved. For instance, if you love wakeboarding, you might not be able to participate in that anymore due to your disability. This limits your ability to enjoy life.
Final Thoughts
When claiming compensation for truck accidents, make sure to claim for non-economic losses too. Proving non-economic losses is very hard, which is why you need the help of a lawyer. A lawyer will know how to prove non-economic losses and claim them successfully. They will guide you through the claim process and get you what you deserve.