A serious truck accident can turn your life upside down in an instant. As you recover from your injuries, you may face expensive vehicle repairs, growing medical bills, and lost income. In the most tragic cases, you may have lost a loved one due to a trucker's negligence. You deserve compensation if the truck driver or trucking company was at fault, but proving the value of your losses is no easy task.
The experienced Virginia truck accident lawyers at Dulaney, Lauer & Thomas understand the importance of thoroughly documenting your losses to recoup truck accident damages. We help clients gather crucial evidence for truck accident claims and fight for compensation. Here’s what it takes to prove the true extent of the harm you've suffered after a truck accident in Virginia.
Types of Truck Accident Damages
Truck accident damages fall into two main categories: economic and non-economic. Identifying all your losses in each category is vital to secure full and fair compensation.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are the direct financial losses you incur due to the accident. They may include:
- Medical expenses. All costs related to treating your accident injuries, from the ambulance ride to the ER to ongoing physical therapy appointments
- Lost wages. The paychecks and other compensation you miss while recovering
- Reduced earning capacity. If your injuries result in long-term impairments that affect your ability to work, you may be entitled to compensation for your diminished earning potential over your lifetime.
- Property damage. The cost to repair or replace your damaged vehicle and any other personal property lost in the crash
- Funeral and burial expenses (wrongful death). The costs associated with laying your loved one to rest, including funeral services, burial or cremation, and a headstone or urn
- Loss of financial support (wrongful death). The income your loved one would have contributed to your household had they survived, which may include wages, benefits, and other compensation
Non-Economic Damages
These subjective losses don't have a clear dollar value but profoundly impact your life. Non-economic damages may include:
- Pain and suffering. Physical pain and emotional anguish that you endure due to your injuries. Keeping a daily journal documenting your symptoms, limitations, and struggles can help convey the extent of your suffering.
- Disfigurement. Scars or other permanent changes to your appearance from the accident. Photos of your injuries at different stages of healing demonstrate this damage.
- Loss of enjoyment of life. Inability to participate in hobbies, social activities, exercise, and other things you enjoyed before the wreck due to your injuries. Friends and family can provide written statements about the changes they've observed in your daily life and well-being.
- Loss of consortium (wrongful death). Deprivation of the benefits of a family relationship due to your loved one's death, such as love, affection, guidance, and companionship
- Mental anguish (wrongful death). Grief, sorrow, and emotional pain endured by surviving family members after a tragic loss
Key Evidence to Prove Your Damages
The success of your truck accident claim often hinges on the strength of your documentary evidence. These key items can help prove the full extent of the damages you suffered:
- Photos and videos. Capture the accident scene, vehicle damage, visible injuries, and any other relevant images as soon as possible after the crash. Continue documenting your injuries throughout your recovery.
- Medical records. Request copies of all treatment records related to the accident, including ambulance run sheets, ER records, surgical reports, imaging scans, prescriptions, and physical therapy notes.
- Bills and receipts. Maintain a file of every accident-related expense, from hospital bills to the costs of medical equipment, medications, and transportation to appointments.
- Employment records. Gather documents showing your typical earnings and missed work due to your injuries. Include pay stubs, tax returns, W-2s, 1099s, and any statements from your employer.
- Repair estimates. Obtain written estimates from qualified mechanics detailing the cost to fix your damaged vehicle. If your car was totaled, research prices for comparable replacement vehicles.
- Daily journal. Keep a diary describing your pain levels, physical limitations, emotional state, and how your injuries impact your daily activities. The more detailed, the better.
- Witness statements. Observations from friends, family, and coworkers can powerfully convey the accident's effects on your life. Ask them to provide written statements about the changes they've noticed in your health, abilities, and general well-being since the crash.
A skilled attorney will help collect and preserve the necessary evidence to identify and hold all at-fault parties accountable.
Maximize Your Damages With a Virginia Truck Accident Attorney
Building a strong case for damages after a truck accident requires solid knowledge of state and federal trucking regulations and experience dealing with aggressive insurance companies that try to minimize payouts. An experienced Virginia truck accident lawyer can handle the legal matters and fight for the maximum compensation you deserve.
At Dulaney, Lauer & Thomas, our truck accident attorneys have a proven track record of success in holding trucking companies accountable for the harm they cause.
- $2.35 million settlement. A 64-year-old woman suffered internal injuries and permanent spinal damage when a distracted truck driver rear-ended her in Culpeper County.
- $6.25 million settlement. A 36-year-old husband and father of four was killed in a truck collision in Virginia.
- $300,000 settlement. A 38-year-old father of two suffered a herniated disc in his lower spine after being rear-ended by a tractor-trailer. The insurance company tried to deny the claim, arguing that the wreck didn't cause the damage.
- $2.5 million settlement. A 35-year-old husband and father of two was killed by a tractor-trailer in Kentucky on his way from Virginia to Indiana.
When you work with us, you can count on our Virginia truck accident lawyers to build the strongest possible case for all your damages. Our skilled legal team is here to provide the answers, advocacy, and support you need every step of the way.