Which Types of Damages Can You be Reimbursed for if You Were Injured in a Truck Accident?

While a truck driver may walk away from an East Tennessee truck accident totally unscathed, there may be many people in smaller vehicles who are seriously injured or killed. Victims may face significant medical bills and may need time off work. They may be anxious about how they will pay for all of these new costs and cope with their physical and emotional pain. You may be wondering about which types of damages you may be able to receive in this situation. Knoxville truck accident lawyer Mark Hartsoe understands the challenges that you are facing and can advise you on your options.

After accidents that are caused by a truck driver's negligence or wrongful actions, you may be able to recover compensatory damages. These are damages that are intended to make you whole or put you back in the position where you would have been had the accident not happened. You may recover both economic and noneconomic damages in Tennessee.

Economic damages are typically tangible and documented damages that arise out of a crash. They may include past and future medical costs, past and future wage loss, loss of earning capacity, vocational rehabilitation and other forms of rehabilitation, and property damage. Although you cannot know for certain exactly what your future damages will be, Mark Hartsoe can retain experts who can credibly predict your lifespan and what you would have been likely to earn had you not suffered serious injuries. In a wrongful death action, economic damages may include funeral and burial expenses.

Noneconomic damages are intangible losses that a jury believes would naturally flow from injuries of the kind that you suffered. They may include pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment, scarring and disfigurement, and loss of consortium. In a wrongful death action, these damages may include loss of love, guidance, and affection for certain family members.

The attorney whom you choose may make a big difference to the noneconomic damages that you receive. Mark Hartsoe will not only fully explore the scope of your damages but also skillfully tell your story so that the jury understands the extent to which your noneconomic losses have affected you.

In Tennessee, punitive damages are awarded only if a jury finds that the plaintiff proved through clear and convincing evidence that a defendant acted either recklessly, intentionally, maliciously, or fraudulently. While most truck crash cases do not warrant punitive damages, they may be appropriate when a truck driver was drunk behind the wheel or a trucking company retained a truck driver despite knowing that they abused alcohol or drugs. Tennessee caps punitive damages at either $500,000 or twice the amount of the compensatory damages.

Truck accidents may be truly devastating for victims. If a wreck results in injuries or death, Knoxville truck accident attorney Mark Hartsoe is ready to fight for your rights. Call the Hartsoe Law Firm at 865-804-1011 or contact us via our online form for a free consultation. Mark Hartsoe represents people who need a motor vehicle collision attorney throughout East Tennessee, including in Knox, Blount, Monroe, Loudon, Jefferson, Grainger, Cocke, Campbell, Hamblen, Greene, Anderson, Cumberland, and Fentress Counties.