Rock Hill, SC Truck Accident Lawyer

Truck accidents are incredibly dangerous and have severe consequences for victims. People hurt in truck accidents often have very serious injuries, some of which may be life-altering and will never truly go away. To make things worse, paying for treatment of those injuries can easily cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, which can be a difficult thing for many people to handle.

You have courses of action you can take after a truck accident. The law lets you sue those responsible for your injuries in court for financial compensation. To do that, though, you are going to need an experienced attorney on your side.

For a free analysis of your claim from our truck accident lawyers, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (803) 219-4906.

Injuries from Truck Accidents in Rock Hill, SC

The injuries people get in truck accidents can be extremely bad. Because of the sheer size and weight difference between an ordinary car and a big 18-wheeler, the odds are heavily against the driver walking away from a truck accident with little more than a scratch. Instead, in all likelihood, the driver will receive injuries that will send them to the hospital.

Bruising

Bruises are caused by blood vessels getting crushed under the skin. Blood pooling in the affected area is what causes the characteristic black-blue-red color of many bruises. Bruising in and of itself is nothing to worry about, but truck accidents can cause a significant amount of bruising over a large area. If such a bruise is over someone’s head or chest, it could be indicative of something much more serious, like internal bleeding or organ damage.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, are caused by hard hits to the head that penetrate the skull or otherwise damage the brain. TBIs should be taken very seriously, as even “mild” TBIs can have nasty side effects like memory loss or severe headaches. More severe TBIs can result in loss of motor or cognitive function or even death due to complications.

Broken Bones

Victims of truck accidents often have broken arms, legs, ribs, or other bones. At a minimum, you are probably going to need a cast, sling, or splint to immobilize the affected area while it heals. A more serious break, like a compound fracture, may even require surgery to have it set and heal properly.

Cutting and Puncturing Wounds

Cutting and puncturing wounds are probably not the first things that come to mind when you picture a truck accident, but broken glass, warped bits of both vehicles and other debris can cut someone up or go through them.

Of the two, cuts, although more superficially scary, are less serious. That being said, they still often require stitching and may lead to permanent disfigurement. Puncture wounds are actually much more dangerous than cuts for two reasons. First, they are harder to stop bleeding, requiring special equipment like sutures instead of regular stitches. Second, puncture wounds are much more likely to hit something vital like organs or an important blood vessel, which can easily put a truck accident victim in a fight for their life.

Damages from Truck Accident Claims in Rock Hill, SC

If you are successful in your claim, you will be awarded damages in the form of financial compensation. The idea is to make the plaintiff “whole” again, or to put them in the spot they would be in had they not been injured by the defendant’s actions. When you ask for damages in your claim, it can be beneficial to your case to break them down into categories like economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages.

Economic Damages

Economic damages are based on things that have their monetary value spelled out in a relatively straightforward way. Items that fall under this category include medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage to something like your car. To prove these damages, you can use records like receipts, invoices, bills, and other tangible proof of their value as evidence.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages, on the other hand, will not necessarily have a paper trail to back them up. This category includes things like mental anguish, emotional distress, and the pain you experience because of injuries you sustained in the truck crash. Something like “emotional distress” is not going to have an invoice showing its value, so you will have to demonstrate the value of non-economic damages to the court with the help of our attorneys.

Punitive Damages

Thus far, we have discussed “compensatory damages,” which are meant to get you back to where you were before the accident. Punitive damages are a special kind of damages that are not meant to make you whole but to punish defendants who have acted in a particularly egregious fashion. There are a couple of important requirements surrounding punitive damages outlined in S.C. Code, Ann. § 15-32-520. First, you must request punitive damages in the initial filings of your truck accident lawsuit. Second, you must show that the defendant acted willfully, wantonly, or recklessly – all of which go beyond mere negligence. For example, if a truck driver thought you cut them off – regardless of whether you actually did – and then decided to tailgate your car and hit you, that conduct may rise to a level warranting punitive damages.

Going after punitive damages is not the right call in every case, and you should not worry if it does not make sense to seek them in your claim, as many plaintiffs get all the compensation they need and deserve through compensatory damages.

Let Our Rock Hill, SC Truck Accident Lawyers Assist You with your Claim

Rice, Murtha & Psoras have truck accident lawyers who can provide free case reviews when you call us at (803) 219-4906.