While most collisions between commercial trucks and commuter cars happen on high-speed highways, it’s not unheard of for these wrecks to happen in intersections, parking lots, and other places where traffic lanes move perpendicularly to each other at lower rates of speed. No matter the location, getting T-boned or sideswiped by a truck weighing tens of thousands of pounds is extremely likely to result in serious injuries that may alter the course of your entire life.
While side-impact truck accidents in Bensalem can often serve as grounds for injury lawsuits, getting a favorable result from this sort of case is often far from a simple process. Fortunately, you have help available from experienced truck accident lawyers with a long track record of winning claims much like yours on behalf of people just like you.
How Fault Works in Side-Impact Truck Crash Cases
Like other types of truck accidents in Bensalem, side-impact wrecks typically happen because of at least one person’s negligence. Proving that a truck driver was negligent in the buildup of your claim requires proving that all the following conditions apply to your situation:
- The truck driver owed you a duty of care requiring them to act responsibly and lawfully under specific circumstances—a given for every person who drives any kind of motor vehicle on public roads
- The truck driver breached their duty by breaking a traffic law or otherwise acting irresponsibly behind the wheel
- The truck driver’s breach of duty was the main and direct cause of your wreck, which in turn was the main and direct cause of an injury you had to get professional medical care for
- Your injury led to you suffering compensable damages—in other words, losses that can be fixed at least somewhat by the truck driver paying you a certain amount of money for them
It’s often possible to hold trucking companies vicariously liable for their employee’s negligence as well, which can give you another avenue to demand compensation through. Any amount of comparative fault you hold for causing your own injuries through your own negligent conduct might lead to a court denying you some or all of the compensation you’d otherwise have been entitled to receive.
What Damages Can You Get Paid For?
Assuming no issues with comparative fault, you can recover for the full value of the losses you’ll experience because of a side-impact truck wreck in Bensalem caused by another person’s misconduct, including:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional anguish and distress
- Loss of life’s pleasures
- Lost working ability and work earnings
- Medical bills, car repair and replacement costs, and other losses not fully covered by insurance
While it’s rare for a court to award them, you may also be able to get additional compensation in the form of punitive damages when a court decides to punish a truck driver or trucking company for extremely irresponsible or intentionally illegal behavior.
Contact a Bensalem Attorney for Help with a Side-Impact Truck Accident Claim
Getting paid fairly after any kind of truck accident can be hard on both legal and personal levels, and wrecks involving a truck T-boning or sideswiping your car are certainly no exception. You still have a right to demand civil compensation any time you get hurt through someone else’s negligence, and guidance from a knowledgeable legal professional can make a huge difference in how effectively you can do that.
Aside from seeking emergency medical care, contacting a winning truck accident lawyer should be your number-one priority in the wake of a side-impact truck accident in Bensalem. Call today to get started with a free, no-obligation consultation.
