Rhode Island Accident Lawyer Blog
A common question personal injury lawyers receive is: What can I expect when it comes to a settlement for my commercial vehicle accident? The answer is probably not what you want to hear, but it’s necessary and truthful: It varies depending on a variety of factors, just like with car accidents and many other types of personal injury law. The complexity of trying to get the commercial vehicle accident settlement you deserve for your specific case is exactly why you need to have top-notch legal representation on your side. Below, our Providence personal injury attorneys will go through a brief overview of the basics of commercial vehicle accident settlements in Rhode Island, how the amounts are determined, and some things you can expect when going through the process.
What Is Considered a Commercial Vehicle?
First, let’s establish the definition of a commercial vehicle before delving into the more complicated legal stuff. A commercial vehicle generally refers to automobiles like delivery vans, semi-trucks, taxis, buses, and other vehicles that are employed for business. Since these types of vehicles tend to be larger and heavier than other cars and trucks on the road, when accidents do occur, injuries and damages tend to be more severe compared to accidents that only involve regular passenger cars.
What Can Influence an Average Settlement
Like we mentioned above, determining an “average settlement” of economic damages when it comes to Rhode Island commercial vehicle accidents is almost never simple due to the myriad of factors that your injury attorney will need to take into consideration. Such factors include:
- Medical costs: Current and projected future medical expenses compose a significant component of any injury settlement.
- Severity of injuries: Accidents involving significant injuries like traumatic brain injuries, fractures, spinal cord injuries, or even fatalities can end up awarding significantly higher settlements compared to situations where there are only minor injuries involved.
- Pain and suffering: The amount of emotional and physical pain the victim can be determined to suffer as a direct result of the accident.
- Lost wages and earning capacity: If the accident has resulted in the victim losing the ability to work either permanently or temporarily, future earnings and lost wages can also be factored into the settlement amount.
- Fault: Depending on who is at fault for the accident, the settlement can vary significantly. Rhode Island’s pure comparative fault rules allow a victim to seek compensation even if they are partially at fault for the crash. The amount of your settlement will depend on how fault is determined in your claim.
Settlements Range Depending on These Factors
With the many potential factors such as the ones listed above, it is difficult to pinpoint one specific “average” settlement number. Once you meet with your personal injury lawyer and critical components of the claim are reviewed, your attorney may be able to provide a general range your settlement is expected to fall into, i.e. in the tens of thousands to millions ranges, depending on how each case goes. Accidents that only involve minor injuries typically pull in settlements in the lower five figures, whereas severe or even fatal injuries may lead to considerably higher settlements in the seven figures for a Rhode Island auto accident settlement.
Why It’s Essential to Have Adequate Legal Representation
With commercial vehicle accidents especially, you don’t want to take the complexities and caseload of a legal battle on by yourself. Most times if you’re involved in an accident involving a commercial vehicle, you’re up against major corporations represented by a host of insurance lawyers, so having an experienced commercial vehicle accident lawyer like Attorney David Tapalian on your side is not just recommended but necessary if you want to come out the other end with any kind of satisfaction. Plus, you’re likely still reeling from the accident, making it even more difficult to deal with the complicated paperwork and negotiations involved.
Contact Tapalian Law Today
If you or somebody you love get into a commercial vehicle accident, you need an experienced commercial vehicle accident attorney on your side to help you navigate the case and ensure your rights are protected. David Tapalian has helped thousands of clients throughout RI and MA settle injury claims for amounts substantially over what the insurance company originally offered. It’s important to have skilled legal counsel for your Rhode Island vehicle accident claim to ensure you receive the settlement you deserve. Call Tapalian Law to consult with a top personal injury lawyer today! Call us at 401-552-5000 or schedule a free consultation online.