A truck accident can change your life in seconds. If you were injured in a crash with a truck, a Cramerton personal injury lawyer can help you pursue damages.
Accidents with commercial trucks often cause catastrophic injuries and overwhelming financial losses. If you were hit by a negligent truck driver, a Cramerton truck accident lawyer can help fight for the compensation you deserve.
Why Hire a Cramerton Truck Accident Attorney?
In truck accident cases, multiple parties can share liability, and evidence can disappear quickly. A Cramerton truck accident attorney can help by:
- Investigating the crash: A lawyer can collect black box data, driver logs, maintenance records, and witness statements to determine what caused the wreck.
- Handling negotiations with insurers: Trucking insurance companies are notorious for offering lowball settlements. An attorney can handle all communications and push for fair compensation.
- Taking your case to court: If the insurer refuses to offer a reasonable settlement, your attorney can file a lawsuit and fight for you in court.
How Much Are Most Truck Accident Settlements?
Truck accident settlements vary widely depending on injury severity, liability, and the available insurance coverage. Because commercial vehicles carry higher insurance limits, payouts can be significantly larger than in passenger car collisions.
While every case is different, settlements in truck accident cases can range from tens of thousands to several million dollars. A truck accident attorney in Cramerton can evaluate your case and provide a more specific estimate.
What Types of Compensation Are Available?
After a serious truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation for both your economic and non-economic losses. These include:
- Medical expenses: You can recover damages for emergency treatment, hospital stays, surgeries, prescriptions, and future medical care.
- Lost wages: You can claim income you have already lost due to missed work and any future earnings you are expected to lose.
- Pain and suffering: You can seek damages for the physical pain and emotional distress you have endured.
- Property damage: You can recover the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle and any personal items damaged in the crash.
- Loss of enjoyment of life: You can receive compensation if your injuries prevent you from enjoying activities you once loved.
What Is the Deadline to File a Truck Accident Lawsuit in NC?
In North Carolina, you generally have three years from the date of a truck accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. Missing this deadline could cost you your right to recover compensation entirely.
Because evidence such as dashcam footage, maintenance logs, and driver records can disappear quickly, it’s best to contact an attorney as soon as possible after a crash.
How Long Does a Truck Accident Settlement Take?
Truck accident cases can take longer to resolve than standard car accident claims due to their complexity. The average settlement timeline can range from several months to over a year, depending on factors like:
- The severity of your injuries: Your lawyer may recommend waiting until you reach maximum medical improvement before settling to make sure all future costs are considered.
- The number of liable parties: When multiple defendants are involved, negotiations and investigations often take longer.
- Insurance company cooperation: Some insurers delay or dispute claims to avoid paying fair compensation.
- Whether your case goes to trial: Most claims settle out of court, but if the insurer refuses to be reasonable, litigation can extend your case’s timeline.
Though waiting for a settlement can be frustrating, patience often leads to a significantly higher payout.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Truck crashes in Cramerton stem from many preventable factors. Common causes include:
- Driver fatigue: Truck drivers often work long hours, and drowsy driving slows reaction time and increases crash risk.
- Speeding or reckless driving: Truck drivers who exceed speed limits or fail to adjust to traffic and weather conditions put everyone in danger.
- Distracted driving: Using a phone, eating, or adjusting controls while driving a large truck can have deadly consequences.
- Improperly loaded cargo: Shifting or unbalanced loads can cause trucks to jackknife or roll over.
- Poor vehicle maintenance: Brake failures, worn tires, and mechanical issues can lead to catastrophic accidents.
- Driving under the influence: Alcohol or drug impairment can severely impact a driver’s ability to operate a commercial vehicle safely.
Common Injuries in Truck Accidents
Due to their size and weight, large trucks often cause devastating injuries when they collide with smaller vehicles. Victims of truck crashes may suffer:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Broken bones and fractures
- Internal bleeding or organ damage
- Severe burns or lacerations
- Whiplash and soft tissue injuries
- Amputations or crush injuries
Get Help from a Truck Accident Lawyer in Cramerton
Trucking companies and their insurers have teams of attorneys whose job is to minimize payouts to injury victims. You need someone equally dedicated to fight for you.
A Cramerton truck accident attorney from Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, can investigate your crash, build a strong case, and pursue the maximum compensation available to you. Book a free case review to start building your claim today.