What Damages Can I Collect for a Truck Accident?

You can collect economic and non-economic damages for a truck accident. The types of damages available in your case may vary depending on your injuries and other ways the accident impacted your life.

To learn more about what specific damages you can collect for your truck accident, you may want to get in touch with experienced Lafayette truck accident lawyers. They can discuss your legal options with you and help you sue for damages in a timely manner.

Economic vs. Non-Economic Damages

There are two main types of damages you can collect after a truck accident: economic and non-economic damages.

Economic Damages

Economic damages are losses that hold a fixed monetary value. You can typically prove that you suffered these damages through medical bills, pay stubs, vehicle repair, and replacement invoices, or other types of receipts.

Economic damages include but are not limited to:

• Medical expenses: When you claim medical expenses in your case, you can demand reimbursement for ambulance transportation, doctor’s appointments, physical therapy, medications, medical equipment, surgeries, and lab work.
• Loss of wages: Your injuries and/or doctor’s appointments may keep you from going to work full-time or even part-time. If you are self-employed and cannot work, you may also be able to claim loss of business opportunity.
• Property damage: In a truck accident, your vehicle and other personal belongings in the vehicle could be damaged beyond repair. The responsible party may be liable for your damaged and destroyed property.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages cover the physical and psychological pain you suffered because of the accident. If you hire our Lafayette personal injury lawyers, they can help you assign a dollar amount to your non-economic damages should you decide to claim them in your case. Professional and personal eyewitness testimony can serve as evidence to show you have suffered a great deal from the accident.

Some of the non-economic damages you can claim may include:

• Loss of consortium: The truck accident could have taken a toll on your relationship with your partner.
• Pain and suffering: The truck accident may have been a very traumatic experience. You could be experiencing flashbacks, anxiety, and depression on top of the physical pain. This turmoil could keep you from living your life to the fullest as you did before the accident.
• Scarring and disfigurement: Depending on the seriousness of the truck accident, you could have lost permanent or temporary use of a body part or gotten a scar that restricts your overall movement and function.

Wrongful Death Damages

If you lost a loved one in a truck accident, you might be able to collect wrongful death damages. In addition to your loved one’s pre-death medical expenses, you may be able to claim:

• Burial and funeral expenses
• Loss of guidance and companionship
• Loss of income and other financial benefits

Note that additional damages not listed here may be available in a personal injury or wrongful death case. A wrongful death lawyer in Lafayette can help you learn more about what damages may be included in your truck accident case.

Assess Your Damages by the State Deadline

Truck accident victims interested in filing a lawsuit have a limited amount of time to do so. Louisiana Civil Code (CC) §3492 generally gives victims two years from the date of their accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. For wrongful death lawsuits, CC §2315.2 generally gives surviving family members two years from the date of their loved one’s death to file.

Either way, if you do not file before the deadline in your case, you may not be able to collect any compensation from the responsible party via a lawsuit.

Work Toward Collecting Your Damages with a Lawyer Today

At Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers, it is our priority to ensure that your damages are counted accurately. We can talk to and negotiate with the other party’s legal team and representatives on your behalf so that they do not try to trick you into accepting a low settlement. Call our Lafayette office today at (337) 777-7777. Our personal injury team offers free consultations.