After a serious Iowa semi-truck accident, your mind may be swirling with questions. One of the top questions you’re probably asking yourself is “what can I do to get justice for my injuries?”
If your truck wreck caused severe injuries or a significant amount of medical care, you will have thousands of dollars in medical bills and other accident-related costs. To get these bills paid and get fair compensation, it’s likely you’ll need to file a lawsuit or settle your claim.
Semi-truck accidents are different than regular car crashes in that there may be multiple parties responsible for your injuries.
Parties You May Be Able to Sue After a Semi-Truck Crash
The truck’s driver is likely going to be one of the parties you sue after a tractor-trailer accident. It’s likely the accident was due at least in part to the truck driver’s negligence.
Any number of things may have contributed to the accident:
· The truck driver might have falsified their time entries to drive more hours than the time allotted by federal law. This could then mean they were not properly rested and fell asleep or were distracted while driving.
· The driver may have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
· The driver may not have been properly trained in how to drive a semi-truck.
· The driver may have been speeding or driving erratically.
The trucking company who hired the truck driver may also be liable for negligence if they hired an unqualified driver, did not train, or supervise them correctly, or failed to keep up maintenance on the tractor-trailer.
If a truck maintenance company worked on the tractor or trailer, you may be able to hold them accountable for negligence if an attorney can prove they did not perform the repairs or did not perform them correctly.
Finally, you may be able to sue the cargo loader if the load on the truck wasn’t properly secured and this unsecured load was a cause of your wreck.
Types of Damages After a Truck Accident in Iowa
There are three main types of damages that you may be eligible for after a truck accident.
Economic damages – This type of damages include medical bills, likely future medical expenses, any income you lost while healing from your accident-related injuries, and vehicle repair or replacement costs. You may also be entitled to compensation for loss of earning capacity if your injuries will impact your ability to earn money in the future.
Non-economic damages – This type of compensation is for harms and losses like loss of full function of the body or mind, physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, or disfigurement. Getting fair compensation for non-economic damages is more difficult than economic damages so it is important to consult with an experienced truck accident attorney if this type of damage is a significant part of your case.
Punitive damages – An award of punitive damages is rare in Iowa. Courts only allow them when you can prove the defendant’s behavior was reckless or intentional. Trucking companies rarely include money for punitive damages in a settlement – punitive damages are typically only possible if you go to trial and get a verdict in your favor.If you have been seriously injured in a semi-truck crash, you need an experienced Iowa truck accident lawyer to fight for fairness for you. Get your free, no-obligation case evaluation by contacting RSH Legal today at 1-800-433-0283.
