What Truck Accident Injuries Pay the Most?
Truck accidents can result in catastrophic injuries due to the sheer size and weight of these big rigs.
When victims suffer severe injuries, they may be entitled to significant compensation, especially if negligence played a role in the crash.
The amount a victim receives depends on the severity of the injury, medical costs, lost income, and long-term effects on quality of life.
This is when the knowledge and experience of a qualified truck accident lawyer can be invaluable.
Injuries That Pay the Most
Some injuries lead to larger settlements and verdicts because they involve extensive medical treatment, permanent disabilities, or emotional trauma.
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
One of the most devastating (and costly) injuries from a truck accident is a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
A TBI occurs when a violent impact or sudden jolt causes damage to the brain. A severe TBI can lead to cognitive issues, memory loss, personality changes, and permanent disabilities. Victims of these injuries often require long-term medical care, rehabilitation, and ongoing assistance with daily activities.
Because these injuries can affect a person’s ability to work and live independently, settlements and jury awards for TBIs tend to be among the highest in truck accident cases.
Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis
Spinal cord injuries are another category that results in high payouts. When a truck accident damages the spinal cord, the victim may experience partial or complete paralysis.
Quadriplegia and paraplegia are life-altering conditions that require ongoing medical care, adaptive equipment, and home modifications. Victims often lose their ability to work, leading to significant claims for lost earning capacity.
The lifetime cost of spinal injury treatment can reach millions of dollars, which explains why these cases often lead to some of the largest settlements.
Severe Burns
Burn injuries from truck accidents occur when vehicles catch fire, or hazardous chemicals or materials spill onto the road. Severe burns cause excruciating pain, disfigurement, and even permanent scarring.
Many times, burn victims require multiple surgeries, including skin grafts and reconstructive procedures.
The emotional and psychological toll of severe burns is also reflected in the higher amounts of compensation, as courts often award substantial damages to burn victims to cover medical expenses, lost wages, and emotional suffering.
Amputations
Losing a limb in a truck accident permanently changes a person’s life. Amputations often occur when a crash causes severe damage to a limb, making surgical removal necessary.
Victims must learn to adjust to daily life with prosthetics or mobility aids, which require ongoing medical costs. Losing a limb can also affect the victim’s ability to work, leading to substantial claims for lost income and reduced earning potential.
Because of the long-term consequences, amputation cases frequently result in high payouts.
Internal Organ Damage and Internal Bleeding
Blunt force trauma that damages internal organs such as the liver, kidneys, lungs, or heart is common in accidents involving big rigs. Internal bleeding and organ damage require emergency medical care, surgeries, and sometimes lifelong treatment.
These injuries can also lead to permanent disabilities or a reduced life expectancy. Because of the high medical costs and potential long-term impact on health, victims of internal organ damage often receive significant compensation.
Multiple Fractures and Orthopedic Injuries
While broken bones may seem less severe than other injuries, multiple fractures can be life-changing.
Some truck accident victims suffer crushed bones or compound fractures that require surgeries, metal implants, and lengthy rehabilitation. If a fracture leads to chronic pain or permanent mobility limitations, it can significantly increase the settlement value.
Victims who can no longer perform their jobs due to orthopedic injuries may also receive higher payouts for lost earning potential.
Psychological Trauma and PTSD
Not all truck accident injuries are physical. Many victims experience severe emotional distress, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression.
Psychological trauma can prevent victims from returning to work, driving, or even engaging in daily activities. While mental health injuries may not always result in the highest payouts alone, they can add significant value to a case when combined with physical injuries.
Emotional distress damages compensate victims for the mental toll of surviving a traumatic accident.
Factors That Influence Compensation
If you’ve suffered an injury in a truck-related accident, there are a number of factors that can affect how much compensation you’ll receive for your injuries. Courts and insurance companies typically consider the following factors:
- Severity of the injury – More serious injuries that include long-term or permanent consequences typically result in higher compensation.
- Medical expenses – These include the cost of any hospital stays, required surgeries, rehabilitation therapies, and any ongoing care that results from your injuries.
- Lost wages and future earning capacity – Not being able to return to work or having to take a lower-paying job often leads to higher payouts.
- Pain and suffering – These non-economic damages account for physical pain, emotional trauma, and any diminishment in quality of life.
- Liability and negligence – If a trucking company or driver acted recklessly, victims may receive additional punitive damages.
At Trucking Injury Law Group, our experience in these types of accident injuries has shown that they often lead to significant compensation, especially for those who suffer permanent disabilities or require lifelong medical care.
Traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, severe burns, and amputations typically result in the highest payouts.
If a truck accident has caused you serious injuries, it’s important to know what to do next.
Working with our experienced attorneys can be an important step in maximizing your compensation and ensuring that you get the financial support you need and deserve for your recovery.