Accountability in North Carolina Truck Accidents
Determining who to hold accountable in a truck accident can be a complex endeavor that is complicated by the fact that some truck drivers are owner-operators who drive strictly for their own profit while others are owner-operators who lease their services out to specific shipping companies and others. Moreover, some truck operators are not owners of the trucks they drive, which may open the door for liability for whoever owns their trucks. In fact, the operator of the truck and the owner of the truck may be liable for injuries sustained during its operation. In addition, if road conditions partially or wholly caused the truck accident in question, then entities responsible for the upkeep of the road may be on the hook for damages too. Similarly, if the truck wreck occurs in a work zone, there may be a liability on the part of the road construction crew or contractor for the project. A skilled North Carolina truck accident attorney can help sort through the possibilities to determine who is accountable—even in cases where there may be multiple defendants.
Truck Accident Damages
In the aftermath of a serious tractor-trailer accident, claimants often feel hopeless and alone as they face devastating injuries at a time when they are unable to work—which creates a financial burden that is sometimes felt by the whole family. The goal of a truck accident claim is to make the plaintiff whole again, at least financially, through the collection of damages that may include:
- Medical costs: Reimbursement of the medical bills you incur because of your injuries, both now and in the future, is the responsibility of the at-fault party in your case. This includes the cost of seeing specialists, physical therapy, medication, and surgeries or other procedures.
- Lost wages: Serious injuries almost always result in the loss of income. The person(s) responsible for your injuries is obligated to pay for your lost wages both now and in the future.
- Diminished capacity to earn a living: If your injury is serious enough to make you permanently disabled, then your earnings potential is now limited. It may be possible to collect damages for this reduced future earning ability.
- Pain and suffering: Both physical and mental pain/anguish may be seen as damages in your truck accident claim.
- Wrongful death: If you are filing a claim for a truck accident that took the life of a loved one-spouse, child, parent, or other close relatives—then you may be able to collect damages for the loss of companionship, love, and consortium the death brought to your family. You may also be compensated for the loss of your loved one’s future income.
- Punitive damages: In particularly heinous accidents, judges sometimes award punitive damages to claimants as a means of deterring the actions in others that caused your injuries.
Injured? Do Not Wait to File Your Truck Accident Claim
In North Carolina, personal injury victims have a limited time to file their claims or risk missing out on valuable compensation for their injuries. Contact your Asheville, NC truck accident attorney with Brown Moore & Associates, PLLC to get started on your claim now. You can contact us to see about a free consultation of your case by clicking here or calling us at 800-948-0577.
