Is There an Average Semi Truck Accident Settlement?
Semi-truck accidents have a reputation for being very severe.
Large commercial trucks are much heavier than other motor vehicles on the road, so they can cause quite a bit of damage when they slam into smaller passenger vehicles.
Many motorists are permanently disabled after a collision, while others can recover only after expensive and time-consuming rehabilitation.
If you’ve been hit by a semi-truck, you should meet with an experienced trucking accident attorney in Colorado to discuss commercial truck accident settlements.
Denver Trial Lawyers ® is here to help guide you through the legal process and pursue the maximum compensation available under the law. Call us at (303) 647-9990 or reach out by submitting the short form below.
Why There Is No Average Semi Truck Accident Settlement
We receive many questions from the public about the “average” settlement people receive.
We understand why people ask this question. They want some rough idea of how much compensation is out there.
However, it’s not very helpful to talk about averages because every truck accident is unique.
Some injured victims receive $50,000 while others receive $5 million.
Everything depends on the circumstances of the accident.
In the rest of this article, we’ll run through what these considerations are so you will better understand how much money is in play.
How to Estimate Your Losses
A truck accident victim can receive money to cover a variety of expenses:
- Medical care, including stays in the hospital, doctor visits, prescription drugs, rehabilitation, and physical therapy, etc.
- Lost wages, if the worker had to take a leave of absence from work to recover.
- Damage to your car and other property.
You should have receipts or bills that show the amount of these expenses. Add them up because you can typically receive 100% of your economic losses.
You can also receive money in Colorado for intangible losses like:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress or mental anguish
- Disfigurement
- Disability
- Loss of consortium (negative changes to your marriage)
It can be harder to put a dollar sign on these types of losses.
However, your Colorado truck accident attorney should have some knowledge about how much a jury typically awards.
If you suffered a catastrophic injury— paralysis, brain injury, or amputation—you can usually receive much more than if your wounds eventually heal with a couple of months of recovery.
Consider Other Factors That Affect a Commercial Truck Accident Settlement
There are some limitations to how much you can receive.
For example, if you were partially responsible for the accident, you will receive less.
Under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-21-111, you can receive money as long as you were less to blame than the truck driver. However, your compensation gets reduced by your percentage of fault if you were in any way to blame.
It also matters how solid your evidence is.
An insurance company will likely make a lower offer if your proof of fault is not very strong. One disadvantage of settling is you sometimes get less than if you went to trial.
However, you also don’t run the risk of losing at trial.
Legal Representation When You Need It Most
After a crash, you might feel as if no one has your back. The trucking company or their insurer could be calling you and you’re not sure what to do. We can help.
Denver Trial Lawyers ® has represented many people just like you who need compensation after a bad accident. For help with your case, give us a call at (303) 647-9990 or submit our online form to get started.
We offer free, no-obligation consultations.
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