If a tractor-trailer collides with a passenger vehicle or a small truck, the injuries that can result from the impact can be severe and catastrophic for everyone involved. With a large truck weighing up to 80,000 pounds and a car weighing a much less 4,000 pounds, drivers in even safest passenger vehicles with the most advanced safety equipment have little meaningful protection when their vehicle is hit by a tractor trailer.
A few of the more common injuries that occur due a collision between a tractor-trailer and a passenger vehicle include broken or fractured bones; traumatic brain injury; spinal cord damage; paralysis; amputation of limbs; severe burns; lacerations leading to permanent disfigurement; crush injuries; and death.
If you have been seriously injured in a truck accident, it is critical to make sure the trucking company’s insurance carrier is presented with full and complete evidence of the nature and extent of your injuries, your past and future lost earning capacity, your past and future medical expenses, any permanent impairment that impacts your ability to perform day-to-day activities, and any disfigurement due to surgery or lacerations, among other things.
We recently settled a case where our client was rear ended by a truck at a high rate of speed when she was stopped in traffic. The force of the impact drove her car into the car ahead of her which, in turn, hit the car next in line. Although the truck driver admitted fault, his insurance company dragged their feet, promising to take care of our client, pay her medical bills, etc. Expecting a reasonable offer from the insurance company, our client tried to settle the case on her own prior to contacting our firm. The offer she received from the insurance company nine months after she got out of the hospital was, in her words, “insulting.” In fairness to the insurance company (which is something you will rarely hear us say), our client had not presented the insurance company with evidence of her future medical expenses, future lost income, and permanent impairment. When she hired us to handle her case, we immediately proceeded to gather the missing pieces by retaining medical experts to address her expected future medical expenses, physical limitations, PTSD, work restrictions, and inability to enjoy her various hobbies and pastimes. We also retained a forensic economist to analyze her lost future earnings and benefits, factoring in her expected increases in income over her lifetime. The combination of the input from our expert consultants and our attorneys’ skillful negotiation resulted in our client receiving four times what the insurer offered her (after subtracting our fee). We were also able to reduce over $200,000 in medical liens by more than half, netting her a substantial additional sum. Needless to say, she was very pleased with the outcome and, in the survey she returned to us at the completion of her case, gave us 5 out of 5 stars for “communication,” “responsiveness,” and “overall satisfaction.”
Peter Thompson & Associates: New Hampshire’s Truck Accident ExpertsIf you or a loved one has been a victim of an accident involving a commercial vehicle and a passenger vehicle, contact the truck accident attorneys at Peter Thompson & Associates today to see how we can help you. Call us at 800.804.2004 or fill out an online form to schedule a consultation. We will immediately begin putting your case together to get you the maximum compensation available.