Can You Sue for Pain and Suffering After a Truck Accident
Given the number of tractor-trailer trucks on our nation’s roads and highways, over 170,000 truck accidents occur yearly. If you have been injured in a truck accident, recovery can be a long process, filled with surgeries and ongoing physical therapy. Medical expenses can add up quickly, at a much greater emotional cost.
At John Price Law Firm, we have seen the devastation of a truck accident on a victim and their loved ones. If you have recently been injured in a truck accident, our truck accident lawyers in Charleston, SC, would like to assist you in filing your claim.
What are Pain and Suffering Damages?
Truck accident victims are often entitled to economic and non-economic damages. As the name suggests, economic damages cover any out-of-pocket expenses, including lost wages, medical expenses, and vehicle repairs. In contrast, you may also be entitled to noneconomic damages, often called pain and suffering. These are any losses that impact your emotional and mental state, which may include mental anguish, loss of companionship and society, infliction of emotional distress, and permanent disability.
Per Diem Method versus The Multiplier Method
There are two primary methods of calculating pain and suffering damages: the per diem and multiplier. Generally, the per diem method calculates pain and suffering damages based on lost wages per day multiplied by the days that the injury prevented you from working. However, this method usually only benefits high earners, so at John Price Law Firm, we often use the multiplier method.
Using the multiplier method, our personal injury team will assign a level of pain severity based on a scale of 1.5 to 5. Then, your total economic damages will be multiplied by that number to determine your total pain and suffering. In employing this method, pain and suffering damages can be three or four times the amount of economic damages. While pain and suffering damages are not capped in personal injury cases (including truck accident cases), they are limited in medical malpractice cases.
Tenacious Representation in Confusion
If a truck driver has hit you, you will likely feel overwhelmed and scared. Your main priority should be your well-being, but the reality is that debt can leave us panic-stricken and unsure of how we will provide for our family. Our truck accident attorneys understand the anxiety that you are under. We are here to recover the compensation that is rightfully yours so that you can return to your everyday existence.
Our legal team will gather the necessary information to build your case. Truck accidents are unique because commercial trucks are equipped with electronic logging devices (ELDs), which record how long the vehicle has been on the road and the miles driven. This information can show if a trucker violated federal law, suggesting they were fatigued at the time of the accident. Our Charleston truck accident attorneys have the knowledge, skills, and experience to build a strong case in your favor.
Injured? Consult with Our Charleston Truck Accident Attorneys
The impact of colliding with a commercial truck can take a financial, physical, and emotional toll on you. Given the sheer size of a large truck, your injuries may be catastrophic, resulting in lifelong disabilities. At John Price Law Firm, we recognize the hardships that accompany truck accident victims. If you want to learn your case’s true worth, contact our Charleston truck accident lawyers today to schedule your free consultation. We can be reached online or by phone.