- July 1, 2015
- Personal Injury
- Truck Accidents
Accidents involving semi-trucks and vehicles often result in serious life-threatening injuries, even death. And unfortunately, truck accidents are not uncommon. In the United States alone, 500,000 trucking accidents occur annually according to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).Even though these types of collisions do happen quite frequently, none have made the media quite like the recent crash involving comedian Tracy Morgan. On June 7, 2014 a semi-truck owned and operated by Walmart rear-ended a limo on the New Jersey Turnpike. According to reports, the driver of the tractor-trailer was speeding 20 mph over the speed limit.
Riding in the limo that was struck was Morgan and five other passengers. The impact of the crash caused Morgan's limo to roll over and rest on its left side. As a result of the crash, one of Morgan's friends riding in the limo was killed and Morgan suffered serious injuries, including a brain injury, broken ribs, broken femur, broken nose and a broken leg. He has required intense therapy to help recover and was in critical condition as a result of the crash. Four other vehicles were involved in the crash; however none of the occupants were injured.
Morgan filed a lawsuit against Walmart in a U.S. District Court in July of 2014, roughly one more month after the truck accident. The lawsuit filed by Morgan claimed that the driver of the Walmart semi-truck was speeding and fell asleep at the wheel. It also alleged that the driver was fatigued from working long hours. Drowsy driving among truck drivers is a serious issue and is one of the major causes of these types of collisions. Laws and regulations are enforced by federal authorities so that truck drivers are not driving too long on the road or too many hours, however trucking companies often fail to disobey the law and allow their drivers to continue to drive without rest.
The amount of Tracy Morgan's settlement was confidential, which is often quite common when a settlement is large. Many factors go into determining what a settlement value should be.
At Goodman Acker P.C., our Detroit truck accident lawyers representing injured victims are often asked by clients and their families, "How much is my case worth?"
There are several factors that go into determining how much a case is worth or what the settlement value may be. Every trucking accident case is different and therefore the amount of compensation a victim will be able to receive will differ. In addition, it is important to realize that an accident with a semi-truck is entirely different than one involving a motor vehicle, i.e. car, pickup-truck, motorcycle.
However, some of the "general" factors that will go into determining how much your truck accident settlement will be include:
- Pain and suffering damages
- The severity of your injuries
- Medical treatment required and total amount of medical bills incurred
- Any lost wages
- Loss of companionship, if applicable
- Location of truck accident
Remember, semi-trucks are often operated by a large retail chain or company. Therefore, there are typically one or more "commercial policies" that exist and insurance policies that insure the trucks are often mandated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCS). For this reason, it is really important that you contact an attorney who has experience handling these types of claims as they can be complicated and require expert testimony.
If you or someone you love was recently involved in a semi-truck accident, call our experienced and award-winning attorneys today. For over 30 years, our lawyers have been exclusively helping injured victims and their families who have suffered a catastrophic injury or loss due to a truck accident, auto accident, or any other type of motor vehicle crash. We have a proven track record of success with settlements and jury verdicts and are not afraid to go to trial to pursue the maximum amount of recovery you deserve.
We offer a free, no-obligation review and do not get paid unless you win. Call today to discuss your rights. Our lawyers understand this may be a time of uncertainty for you. We will answer all of your questions, explain the legal process to you and ensure the only thing you focus on is recovering and getting back to your life.