Crashes involving commercial trucks aren’t like the average traffic accident. The size, weight, and higher riding position of semi-trucks and other commercial motor vehicles make them much more likely to inflict catastrophic injuries in a collision. These severe injuries often lead to overwhelming medical bills, lifelong disabilities, and profound pain and suffering for accident victims.
If you were involved in a tractor-trailer accident in Arizona, the truck driver or trucking company could owe you financial compensation for the serious consequences you’re facing. The best step to maximize your commercial truck accident payout is to work with an experienced truck accident lawyer.
The legal team at the Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer knows how to handle complex trucking accident cases and can help you demand full and fair compensation for your losses. Contact us today for a free consultation with a skilled commercial vehicle accident attorney.
Unique Nature of Semi-Truck Accidents
Semi-truck accidents are distinct from other motor vehicle crashes. Understanding what makes them unique is vital when dealing with the aftermath of a collision.
Here’s why commercial vehicle accidents are so different:
- Size and weight – Semi-trucks weigh 20 to 30 times more than passenger cars. This means they are capable of causing serious injuries in a collision, even at moderate speeds. Commercial vehicles also take longer to stop and are harder to maneuver, increasing the risk of serious truck accidents.
- Multiple parties involved – Many different parties play a role in the safe operation of a semi-truck. The most obvious ones are the truck driver and truck company. However, the truck manufacturer, cargo loading company, third-party mechanics, and other drivers could be at fault. This makes determining liability and filing personal injury claims more complicated.
- Complex regulations – Truck drivers and trucking companies must adhere to a strict set of state and federal regulations, including limits on driving hours and requirements for regular vehicle inspections. Understanding these laws and how they might apply to a given accident is crucial for handling a trucking accident case effectively.
Types of Damages in Semi-Truck Accidents
If someone else was to blame for the semi-truck accident, you can seek compensation in the form of monetary damages. This money could cover the cost of your:
- Medical bills – This includes costs for emergency services, hospital stays, surgeries, medication, rehabilitation, and any ongoing medical treatments you need due to the truck crash.
- Lost wages and lost earning potential – If your injuries prevent you from working, you can demand compensation for lost income. This can also cover reduced future earnings if your injuries affect your ability to earn a living.
- Pain and suffering – These damages cover the physical pain and emotional distress you suffered from the accident. It acknowledges the non-financial but genuine impact of your injuries.
- Loss of quality of life – If your injuries lead to a permanent disability that affects your ability to engage in daily activities and favorite hobbies the way you did before the truck accident, you can request compensation for the negative impact these losses have on your enjoyment of life.
- Property damage – These damages provide compensation for repairing or replacing your vehicle and any other personal property damaged or destroyed in the crash.
- Punitive damages – Arizona law allows accident victims to seek punitive damages in some instances. Rather than compensate you for your economic and non-economic losses, punitive damages are awarded to punish at-fault parties for especially reckless conduct. Requesting punitive damages may apply in your case if you suffered catastrophic, life-changing injuries due to negligence on the part of a truck driver or trucking company.
Consulting an experienced commercial vehicle accident lawyer can give you an idea of the types of truck accident damages that may be possible in your case.
Key Factors Influencing Damage Calculations
Several factors influence how much compensation you could receive in a truck accident claim. One major factor is the severity of your injuries. More severe injuries typically result in higher medical expenses and extended periods of lost income, pain, and suffering, which drive up the value of a truck accident claim.
Another critical aspect of a truck accident claim is determining fault for the collision. Arizona’s comparative negligence law reduces your compensation according to the percentage of blame a court assigns you for the crash. Therefore, establishing clear liability is vital to maximize your potential award or truck accident settlement.
Relatedly, the amount of available insurance coverage will play a critical role in your potential damages. Trucking companies must carry substantially larger insurance policies than non-commercial drivers, which might mean greater compensation. However, navigating these policies requires a thorough understanding of insurance law and the specifics of the policies involved in the claim. A knowledgeable personal injury lawyer can identify all applicable policies so you can pursue compensation from every available source.
Navigating Insurance and Liability in Arizona
To recover fair compensation after a truck accident in Arizona, you must navigate various insurance and liability challenges. This is where having an experienced truck accident lawyer guide you becomes key to your success.
While insurance companies assume liability for accidents their policyholders cause, that does not mean they are eager to pay out claims to accident victims. Insurers are for-profit businesses. Paying truck accident victims hurts their bottom line, so they have developed various tactics to limit their liability and persuade claimants to accept far less than they deserve.
If multiple parties share liability for your injuries, each party is generally only liable for their percentage of fault under Arizona law. You may need to pursue a legal case against every party to recover full compensation. A commercial vehicle accident lawyer can help maximize your compensation by identifying every liable party in your case, filing a truck accident claim against each of them, and gathering evidence to minimize your degree of fault.
Statute of Limitations for Arizona Commercial Vehicle Claims
In most cases, Arizona law says you must file a personal injury claim within two years. However, the deadline could be shorter or longer depending on the facts of your truck accident case. For example, you only have 180 days to file a notice of your intent to sue if the injury claim is against a government entity. This is just one example of why speaking to a lawyer as soon as possible after a wreck is essential.
Another reason to promptly contact a commercial vehicle accident attorney is to protect potential evidence in your case. It’s not unusual for vital proof to get misplaced or erased. The sooner you speak to a truck accident attorney, the stronger your case can be.
Contact Our Phoenix Truck Accident Attorneys to Learn More
At Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer, we understand that Arizona semi-truck accidents can have devastating consequences. Let us help you recoup the money you need from the insurance company. Call us today or reach out online for a free case review.