What Is the Average Settlement for an 18-Wheeler Accident?

Settlements for 18-wheeler accidents vary greatly and may range anywhere from tens of thousands to tens of millions of dollars. An average settlement amount doesn’t mean much since totals vary based on many factors, including the seriousness of the injuries and the amount of the medical bills.

A New Orleans truck accident lawyer can look at all the details of your specific case and tell you how much it will be worth. We offer free consultations where we do a comprehensive evaluation to determine every last dollar of compensation you may be entitled to.

What Is the Average Settlement for an 18-Wheeler Accident in Louisiana?

As you can see from our case results, the truck accident lawyers at Scott Vicknair Law have reached settlements of well over $1 million for some of our clients, but other cases simply aren’t worth that much money.

If your injuries were relatively minor, you likely won’t receive a seven- or eight-figure settlement. If you suffered catastrophic injuries, on the other hand, we have a stronger case to get you a large settlement to cover your extensive medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

How Is Fault Determined After a Truck Accident?

Louisiana is a comparative fault state, meaning multiple people may be found liable for an accident. With trucking accidents, potential at-fault parties may include:

• You (as long as you are less than 100% at fault, you can still recover compensation from other liable parties)
• The truck driver if their driving contributed to the crash
• The trucking company (if they imposed impossible deadlines on their drivers, for example)
• The business that loaded the truck if an imbalanced load contributed to the wreck
• The facility that purported to maintain the truck if they didn’t keep it in proper condition

An experienced tractor-trailer accident lawyer can help determine which parties may be responsible for the crash and should pay for the injuries you received.

How Are Damages Calculated After an 18-Wheeler Crash?

The reason it’s impossible to provide the average settlement amount for an 18-wheeler accident is that many factors go into how the amount is calculated. Here are some types of damages you may qualify for.

Physical Injuries

The more serious your injuries were, the more damages you may be entitled to. 

You must have medical care to prove your injuries, so you should always go see a doctor after a truck crash. Your word that you were in pain for weeks or months doesn’t mean as much as a doctor documenting your specific injuries.

Even if you think your injuries will heal fine at home, go see a doctor if you want to pursue compensation.

Medical Bills

The higher the cost of your past, ongoing, and future medical bills related to injuries you sustained in the wreck, the more your settlement amount is likely to be. 

If you’re left with a permanent disability that will require ongoing care for the rest of your life, your settlement will be larger than that of a person whose injuries fully healed within a few weeks.

Pain and Suffering

The largest portion of a settlement is often the amount given for pain and suffering. Again, receiving medical care is the best way to document your pain and provides a stronger case than your word alone.

Lost Wages and Reduced Future Earning Potential

If you had to miss work to recover from your injuries, you should be compensated for those lost wages. If you have a new permanent disability preventing you from earning the same income as before the accident, you deserve money for that, too.

Can You File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit if an 18-Wheeler Crash Killed Your Loved One?

According to the Motor Carrier Safety Progress Reports from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), more than 4,800 people lost their lives in large truck accidents in 2023. If an 18-wheeler wreck killed your spouse, child, or parent, you may be entitled to compensation.

A New Orleans wrongful death lawyer can help you get compensation for funeral expenses, lost wages, and more, so contact Scott Vicknair Law for a free consultation to find out how much your case may be worth.

Contact an 18-Wheeler Accident Attorney

If a truck crash destroyed your life, contact the caring 18-wheeler crash lawyers at Scott Vicknair Law and schedule a free consultation. This comprehensive evaluation can give you an idea of how much your personal injury or wrongful death case may be worth.

Our Louisiana truck accident lawyers have a combined three decades of experience, and we have recovered over $100 million for our clients, so you know we’ll fight hard to get you the compensation you deserve.

We work on contingency fees, meaning we take a percentage of your settlement rather than charging you anything upfront. If we don’t get you any money, then you don’t owe us anything.