Truck Accident Settlement Calculator

Traffic accidents often result in chaotic and confusing scenes. As a result, many people are uncertain about how to proceed in the immediate aftermath of a commercial truck accident. 

First and foremost, it’s important to take proper steps to ensure everyone involved is safe in the moments after a collision. But you should also be careful to behave in a way that protects your legal rights should you decide to pursue a claim later.

The actions you take after a collision will determine the settlement you can hope to recover from your truck accident claim. When a crash occurs, do your best to stay calm and take the following steps:

Check Yourself and Others for Injuries

The health and safety of all parties involved in a motor vehicle collision should be the highest priority after an accident. Check yourself for injuries, then do the same for others at the scene.

If anyone is severely harmed, don’t attempt to move them. Instead, contact medical responders right away.

Call the Police

Even if no one is obviously injured, it’s important to call 911 after a commercial truck accident.

The operator will dispatch police officers to the scene of the crash, and the accident report the police draft will be an important piece of evidence in any resulting personal injury claim. The police accident report will contain important information, such as: 

• Descriptions of the resulting vehicular damage
• The date, time, and location of the crash
• Details about the injuries sustained
• Eyewitness accounts of the accident
• Weather and roadway conditions

A police accident report can serve to confirm your account of events. In many places, drivers are legally obligated to contact law enforcement following a traffic accident.  

Your legal representative will use the police report as a factor in your truck accident settlement calculator.

Keep Conversations to a Minimum

Avoid holding conversations with other drivers or passengers while waiting on police and emergency medical responders to arrive at the scene. If you’re not careful, you might inadvertently say something that suggests you’re at fault for the crash. 

Exchange contact information with the other driver, but don’t discuss legal liability. Even if you believe you caused the crash, you may be incorrect, as the events surrounding these sorts of accidents are often hazy and difficult to recall.

Anything you say at the crash scene might negatively affect the outcome of your truck accident settlement calculator. 

Collect as Much Evidence as Possible

When you file a commercial truck accident claim, your attorney will use any available evidence to pursue maximum compensation on your behalf. In the days and weeks after a truck accident, it will become more difficult to recover information about the details of the crash.

Because of this, you should gather as much evidence as you can at the scene of the collision. Look for evidence like: 

• Names, contact information, and insurance details of other drivers
• License plate numbers
• Photos or videos of the crash site
• Photos or videos of the vehicular damage
• Photos or videos of the resulting injuries
• Names and contact information of eyewitnesses
• VIN numbers for the vehicles involved
• The name of the commercial trucking company 

You should also take notes about your own thoughts and feelings in the aftermath of the accident. As time goes on, it may become challenging to accurately remember the details of your experience. 

Don’t Post on Social Media

Truck accidents usually result in serious property damage. If the vehicular damage is significant enough, the collision might become newsworthy. 

Regardless, it’s best to refrain from commenting about the accident online or posting images on your social media accounts. Simply notify your family and loved ones about your health status in private.

Even posts that seem harmless can drastically undercut your ability to recover compensation.

Suppose that you post something like, “Got in an accident with a truck today, but don’t worry! I’m okay!” Such a post could be used against you if your claim proceeds to court—the opposing party might argue that because you said you’re “okay,” you weren’t as injured as you claim. 

Remember, any words, pictures, or videos you post on the internet may be used as evidence in a trial. Even deleted posts are sometimes archived and can be recovered. 

It’s therefore important to keep your personal feelings about the case private until legal matters have been settled. Talk to a knowledgeable legal professional if you have questions about appropriate communication after an accident.

The total value of your collision will depend on many different elements of your case. A knowledgeable truck accident lawyer will review the circumstances of your crash and help you determine how much you’re owed.

Some of the most important factors of a truck accident settlement calculator include the following:

The Price of Medical Care

When you’ve been injured in a commercial truck collision, you’ll likely have to manage the cost of medical treatment. Depending on the severity of your injuries, these financial losses may be significant.

Some of the common examples of medical care costs include the price of: 

• Ambulance rides
• Emergency room visits
• Hospitalization
• Surgeries and other operations
• Doctor’s appointments
• Prescription medications 

These are only a few examples of typical medical care costs. Fortunately, truck accident victims have the right to pursue repayment for all these losses. 

You shouldn’t be stuck with mounting medical bills following a truck accident caused by someone else’s negligence.

Lost Income and Wages

You may also be unable to work for an extended period after a collision with a commercial truck. This inability to work can lead to the loss of expected income and wages.

Lost income can be recovered through a commercial truck accident claim. Your legal representative will help you determine the amount of compensation you can pursue related to missed work. 

With long-term injuries, you may face a decrease in permanent earning ability. In this case, you can seek repayment for the loss in potential income. 

Skilled personal injury attorneys at Morgan and Morgan will review the facts of your truck accident and help you pursue disability compensation. It’s important to hold responsible parties accountable for the damage that they cause.

Property Damage

Vehicular damage is the most common form of property damage occurring because of truck accidents. Commercial trucks are very large and heavy. Because of this, they can potentially cause irreparable destruction to other vehicles on the road. 

However, vehicular damage isn’t the only type of property damage that may result. You may also seek compensation for any lost or destroyed property that was inside your vehicle at the time of the crash.

If you’re uncertain about the value of your vehicle or the items it contained, consult with a legal representative at Morgan & Morgan for assistance calculating the damages in your case.

Pain and Suffering

Not every type of harm resulting from a truck accident takes monetary form. Some of the most devastating outcomes of motor vehicle collisions are more personal and difficult to quantify. 

For example, many truck accident victims experience significant pain and suffering from their injuries. With the help of a seasoned attorney at Morgan and Morgan, victims can seek financial compensation for these intangible losses.

While it can be difficult to put a price tag on experience, victims deserve to be compensated for the pain and suffering they’ve faced. Seasoned tort lawyers understand how to fight effectively for non-economic damages to cover these losses. 

These are only some of the factors that will influence the value of your truck accident settlement. When you consult with one of the veteran legal professionals at Morgan and Morgan, they’ll help you accurately calculate how much your claim is worth.

Some victims of commercial truck collisions attempt to recover compensation without the guidance of an attorney. This is almost always a mistake. 

Accident claims involving motor carriers and trucking companies are highly complex. A seasoned attorney will understand how various regulations might influence the outcome of your claim. 

When you have a Morgan & Morgan attorney representing you, they’ll oversee every aspect of your case, including: 

• Collecting and categorizing evidence
• Getting statements from witnesses
• Negotiating forcefully with the opposing party
• Calculating damages
• Determining liability
• Filing a lawsuit if negotiations are unsuccessful 

You shouldn’t be expected to manage these procedural concerns while recovering from an accident. Let the team at Morgan and Morgan take care of the heavy legal lifting for you.

The lawyers at Morgan & Morgan are compensated through a contingency fee payment approach. That means you’ll pay nothing unless our attorneys succeed in getting you the money you deserve. 

We’ll fight diligently in your best interests throughout every phase of the legal process. If you make nothing, we make nothing.

When you need to pursue a legal claim following a commercial truck accident, reach out to Morgan and Morgan. We’ll gladly provide you with a free legal consultation when you complete our online contact form. Our team of experienced truck accident lawyers is ready to stand by you.