It is impossible to predict the precise amount any truck accident claim is worth. However, Houston truck accident claims generally settle at higher amounts than car accidents due to higher costs of property damage, more severe injuries, and commercial, rather than personal, insurance claims.

A truck wreck may also involve multiple insurance policies. The truck driver, the trucking company, and third-party vendors may all carry separate coverage. One policy may cover the truck, while another policy may cover the trailer.

Some state and federal laws make commercial motor vehicles carry higher policy minimums than for standard passenger motor vehicles. Commercial coverage ranges are from $750,000 to $5 million.

Typically, accident victim compensation includes the following damages:

• Accident-related medical bills
• Prescription medication costs
• Physical pain and suffering
• Loss of quality of life
• Emotional pain and suffering
• Rehabilitation
• Physical therapy
• Prosthetic devices
• Mental and emotional trauma, such as PTSD
• Disability
• Disfigurement due to scars or burn injuries
• Lost wages during medical treatment and recovery
• Loss of future earning capacity due to inability to work or inability to work at the same job or for the same hours
• Property damage for the vehicle and its contents
• Wrongful death, including funeral costs, loss of companionship, emotional pain and suffering, loss of support, and related expenses and damages

Sometimes punitive damages are available to victims of truck accidents. Punitive damages are monies awarded by the court as a type of punishment to a defendant. These damages are to deter similar future misconduct.

Never accept a settlement without letting an experienced truck accident attorney review it first. Insurance adjusters from the insurance company or trucking company are notorious for settling truck accident claims as inexpensively and quickly as possible. A truck accident attorney can evaluate an accident claim and offer an opinion as to its real value.

The impact and weight of any large truck creates a significant amount of force in trucking accidents. This can mean catastrophic, or even fatal, injuries for both drivers and passengers in smaller vehicles. Truck accident injuries can require weeks, months, or even years of recovery.

There are many different types of truck accident injuries, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Spinal cord damage. Spinal cord damage may cause paralysis, paraplegia, or quadriplegia. These types of injuries may also result in long-term disabilities and chronic pain.
• Head trauma. Severe head trauma causes traumatic brain injuries (TBI). The brain may move in the skull, and oxygen may not get to the brain. Head injuries may lead to death, coma, loss of cognitive abilities, and depression. Speak with a Houston brain injury attorney to learn more.
• Soft tissue injury. These are injuries to muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
• Internal injuries. Internal injuries include bleeding of the liver, kidney, pancreas, and spleen.
• Broken bones. Car drivers, passengers, motorcyclists, and pedestrians often endure broken arms, legs, ribs, and other body parts after a truck accident. Sometimes broken bones cause a loss of function in the injured area of the body.
• Back and neck pain. Back and neck pain from a truck accident is sometimes lifelong and debilitating.
• Burns, disfigurement, and scarring.
• Whiplash. Whiplash is the forceful movement of the neck from front to back like a whip. Damage from whiplash may last a few weeks or even years.
• Bruises and lacerations.