There are many forms of negligent conduct that lead to truck accidents. When truck drivers and trucking companies act carelessly, harmful crashes can occur. Victims often incur extremely painful and debilitating injuries.
A truck accident lawyer can help injured parties pursue payment. The financial compensation available through truck accident lawsuits can provide crucial support to plaintiffs during troublesome times.
If you were hurt because of a truck accident in Elizabeth, NJ, get help filing your case. Get in touch with our Elizabeth truck accident attorneys today by calling The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083. Our team of experienced lawyers will review your case for free.
Categories of Damages Available to Victims of Truck Accidents in Elizabeth, NJ
Plaintiffs in truck accident lawsuits can pursue multiple categories of monetary damages. The amount of damages awarded in a particular case will depend on the extent of harm suffered by the victim. During your free case review, our Elizabeth truck accident attorneys can help assess which of the following damages may be sought:
Medical Expenses
Many victims of truck accidents incur severe injuries. These injuries often require costly, long-term medical care. Our lawyers can help plaintiffs recover payment for any medical expenses related to their truck accident injuries. Compensation for all past, current, and future medical treatment may be sought.
Damages for medical expenses usually must be proven using medical records and bills. Proper documentation of your injuries will be required in order to recover payment for medical expenses. Accordingly, it is important that you seek medical treatment promptly after suffering a truck accident. Waiting for your injuries to heal on their own can inhibit the amount of damages you may recover. Our team can refer the right doctors for you.
Lost Wages
Furthermore, many victims of truck accidents must spend time away from their jobs while their injuries heal. Our Elizabeth truck accident attorneys can help plaintiffs seek payment for any lost income they suffered because of their injuries. Typically, a worker’s average weekly wage will be used to quantify damages for lost wages.
In severe cases, truck accident victims may be permanently unable to perform the same work that they could tend to before their crashes. In such cases, our lawyers can help plaintiffs recover monetary damages for their lost earning capacity in the future. However, establishing a claim for a lost future earning capacity can be difficult.
Pain and Suffering
Plaintiffs in truck accident lawsuits can also recover compensation for the physical pain and emotional suffering they incurred because of their injuries. For instance, in addition to causing physical pain, some injuries may prevent victims from partaking in the same hobbies that they enjoyed before their accidents. Further, some injuries may prevent victims from partaking in meaningful family relationships. Our experienced Elizabeth truck accident attorneys can help support a claim for such damages in your case.
Property Damage
Many truck accidents cause a great deal of property damage because of the size of vehicles involved. When drivers of standard cars are struck by large trucks, their vehicles can incur serious damage. In truck accident lawsuits, compensation for property damage will be calculated using the cost of repair or replacement of a plaintiff’s vehicle.
You should attempt to take photos of your damaged vehicle at the scene of your accident if possible. Defendants may attempt to assert that plaintiffs’ vehicles were damaged because of subsequent incidents, opposed to the crashes at issue. In such cases, photos from the scenes of victims’ accidents can be used to help establish their claims for property damage.
Out-of-Pocket Expenses
Lastly, plaintiffs in truck accident lawsuits may recover payment for any out-of-pocket expenses related to the harm they suffered. There is a wide range of out-of-pocket expenses that victims can incur. For example, a parent injured because of a truck accident may have to pay for help with child care during recovery. Furthermore, an injured party may have to pay for expensive transportation to and from court proceedings and medical appointments. In such cases, our Elizabeth truck accident attorneys can help victims recover compensation for the full range of out-of-pocket expenses they incurred because of their injuries.
Damages for out-of-pocket expenses are typically established using financial documents like receipts. Therefore, you should preserve all receipts for expenses you sustain because of your truck accident injuries.
Time Limit to File a Truck Accident Lawsuit in Elizabeth, NJ
Time limits to file particular types of lawsuits are established by states’ statutes of limitations. Under N.J.S.A. § 2A:14-2, victims will usually have two years from the dates of their crashes to file truck accident lawsuits in Elizabeth, NJ. Failure to adhere to this deadline could cause you to miss out on financial compensation. Accordingly, you should contact our Elizabeth truck accident attorneys as soon as possible after your crash.
Furthermore, there are many other requirements plaintiffs must satisfy when brining their lawsuits to court. For instance, victims must file their cases in the right jurisdictions, attach necessary supporting documents, pay any filing fees, serve all named defendants, and avoid filing incomplete claims. Failure to satisfy any of these conditions could force you to re-file your case. By bringing your case to court early, you may afford yourself time to re-file if necessary.
Elements of a Truck Accident Lawsuit in Elizbeth, NJ
The path to compensation in truck accident lawsuits can vary. Still, in every case, the plaintiff must show that the following elements are true:
- The defendant was under a duty of care
- The defendant breached their duty of care
- You were hurt because the defendant breached their duty
- You sustained damages as a result of the injuries you incurred
Analyzing these elements in the context of your lawsuit can be a complicated task. During your free case assessment, our Elizabeth truck accident attorneys can help determine if the necessary elements have been established.
If You Suffered a Truck Accident in Elizabeth, NJ, Our Attorneys Can Help
If you were hurt because of a truck accident, seek help from our experienced Elizabeth truck accident attorneys by calling The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083 to review your case for free.