No one expects to be the victim of a truck accident. You could set out on your normal route, follow every traffic law to the letter, and still collide with a commercial truck.

Injuries from a truck accident are life-altering. Trucks can be 30 times the size of the average car. When the two vehicles collide, the car and its passengers absorb most of the impact.

Calculating Damages You Can Collect for a Virginia Truck Accident

When you sustain injuries from a truck accident, the insurance company’s offer may not be sufficient. Instead, you can seek damages through a personal injury claim. “Damages” refer to the financial compensation you collect as fair compensation relative to your pain and suffering from the accident.

Economic Damages

Economic damages compensate you for tangible financial losses. These are losses that have a corresponding receipt or invoice. Since there is physical proof of the losses, and they typically deal with specific numbers, these are the easiest damages to calculate.

Economic damages account for financial losses following the accident. For example, if your injuries cause you to be unable to work, you may seek damages for loss of income. You may seek compensation if the loss is directly related to your accident.

Examples of economic damages include:

Medical expenses
Property damage
Lost wages
Funeral costs in cases of wrongful death

When pursuing economic damages, you must argue the expenses you faced were “usual and customary.” For example, you might have a doctor testify that your treatment and its cost are usual and customary for a truck accident like yours.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages, on the other hand, are more difficult to calculate. These losses are not tangible and don’t have an exact monetary value. The damage from a truck accident surpasses the medical bills you incur. This is an experience that could impact the rest of your life.

Non-economic damages may include:

Loss of quality of life
Pain and suffering
Disfigurement
Grief and trauma
Wrongful death

These are difficult to quantify. Contacting a Virginia truck accident lawyer will help you determine a reasonable amount of non-economic damages to pursue for your specific case.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are rarely sought but may apply to your case, depending on the severity of your injuries and the specifics of the accident. Unlike the compensatory damages mentioned above, punitive damages aim to punish the guilty party.

Why You Need a Lawyer to Seek Damages for a Virginia Truck Accident

Calculating damages for your Virginia truck accident is difficult, and it’s only the beginning of your personal injury claim. A Virginia truck accident lawyer will offer much-needed knowledge and guidance as you pursue damages.

While you’ve likely only been in one or a select few truck accidents, truck accident lawyers have seen many cases like yours. They know what to expect, how to prepare you, and may have connections within the system.

A truck accident attorney can further help you collect evidence, negotiate with insurance companies, and represent you in a trial if necessary.

Calculate Your Damages with Help from a Virginia Truck Accident Lawyer

If you or a loved one have been in a truck accident, you’re already dealing with enough. You should focus on taking care of yourself and those you love. Instead of taking on your truck accident personal injury claim alone, contact a Virginia truck accident lawyer from Geoff McDonald & Associates, P.C.

Our team has been fighting for truck accident clients for two decades. Call 804-944-8439 to start with a free consultation.

How Are Damages Calculated After a Virginia Truck Accident?