The disparity in size and weight between large commercial trucks and passenger vehicles makes the former capable of causing extremely serious damage when collisions occur. Not surprisingly, the  occupants of vehicles other than the truck involved were much more likely to be injured. Even with all of the safety features found in most modern vehicles, these injuries can be extremely serious. Some examples of the kinds of injuries that people can sustain in crashes involving large commercial vehicles include the following:

• Spinal cord injuries
• Facial fractures
• Broken arms and legs
• Burns
• Serious soft tissue injuries
• Dislocations
• Accidental amputations

Truck accident injuries can result in a wide variety of compensable losses, which often include the following:

• Property Damage – As mentioned above, when commercial trucks collide with smaller vehicles, the damage can be severe. Most truck accident victims are entitled to compensation for the damage to their vehicles (which often involves the full value of the vehicle) as well as for any of their personal belongings that were damaged in the crash.

• Medical Expenses – Truck accident victims are typically entitled to compensation for any medical expenses they incur because of the accident. Importantly, damages for medical expenses should account for any future expenses that may be incurred as well. Future medical expenses are often significant in cases involving catastrophic injuries or those that result in cognitive or physical disability.

• Physical and Emotional Pain and Suffering – The injuries that truck accident victims sustain often result in significant and debilitating physical and emotional pain and suffering. Noneconomic losses like these are highly subjective and are often difficult to establish, making the assistance of an attorney critical.

• Lost Income – Many truck accident victims are unable to work for weeks or months—or ever again. This can result in significant lost income, which is compensable under Louisiana law. In cases in which a person’s injuries prevent them from ever returning to work, any settlement or award should include damages for the amount of money the victim would have earned over the course of his or her career. Determining lost income over the course of a career typically requires the assistance of experts who will testify to the amount of money a person in a typical occupation will earn, accounting for regular raises, promotions, and other factors that can affect income.

Truck Accident Claims Can Be Complicated
Accident cases involving large commercial vehicles can be much more complicated than those involving privately-owned cars, trucks or motorcycles. As a result, it is highly advisable for anyone hurt in a wreck by a semi-truck or other commercial vehicle to retain a lawyer who has successfully handled similar cases in the past. Retaining a lawyer unfamiliar with these kinds of cases could result in inadequate settlement or award—or even no compensation at all. Some of the things that make commercial vehicle accident cases different than others include the following:

• Federal and State Regulations – Large commercial vehicles and their drivers are subject to certain federal and state regulations. For example, commercial truck drivers are subject to a .04 blood alcohol limit (BAC) (rather than a .08 limit to which typical drivers are subject) and are also limited in the number of hours they can drive in a given period of time. Noncompliance with these or other regulations could be sufficient to establish liability, so it is critical for your attorney to be familiar with them in order to spot any violations.

• More Parties Are Often Involved – There are often many more parties involved in a commercial truck accident case than there are in an accident case involving only private parties. For example, in a truck accident case, potentially liable parties include the truck driver, his or her employer, the company that loaded the cargo, the truck manufacturer, or the company responsible for truck’s maintenance—all of whom could be different.

These are only some of the ways in which a truck accident case could be significantly more complicated than one involving two or more non-commercial driver. To protect your rights and maximize your chances of getting the compensation you deserve, you should always contact an experienced truck accident lawyer after you are hurt in a crash with a commercial truck.