What Damages Can I Recover After a Truck Accident In Bozeman?
Commercial trucks far outweigh standard passenger vehicles, leaving motorists in smaller cars especially vulnerable to severe and catastrophic injuries after a collision. If you were injured in a crash involving a commercial truck, working with an experienced Bozeman truck accident lawyer can help you pursue the full compensation available under Montana law.
Under Montana Code §27-1-702, truck accident victims may recover both economic damages, such as medical bills and lost income, and non-economic damages, including pain and suffering. Understanding the types of damages available is a critical step in protecting your financial future after a Bozeman truck accident.
Understanding Economic Damages After a Montana Truck Accident
After an accident resulting in injuries, the involved insurance companies and civil courts in Montana classify losses as economic or non-economic damages. Examples of common non-economic damages after a truck accident in Bozeman include the following:
- Reimbursement for medical expenses
- Anticipated future medical costs related to the truck accident injuries
- Out-of-pocket costs, such as travel expenses for seeing specialists, home health aid costs, or the cost of adaptive equipment for temporary or permanent disability
- Lost earnings
- Future income loss
- Reduced future earning capacity due to disability
Economic damages are typically proven through documentation. A skilled Bozeman personal injury lawyer calculates these losses by reviewing medical records, consulting with healthcare providers and vocational experts, and projecting future financial impacts. For victims who are unable to return to work, lost future earnings can represent a substantial portion of the claim.
What Non-Economic Damages Can I Recover After a Bozeman Truck Accident?
Non-economic damages are intangible losses that are more difficult to assign a monetary value to than economic damages. These losses address the worst aspects of any accident—the physical and emotional impact on a survivor. Non-economic damages in truck accidents are often severe, due to the dramatic size and weight discrepancy between family cars and commercial trucks hauling goods. Examples of non-economic damages in Bozeman truck accident claims include:
- Compensation for pain and suffering
- Compensation for emotional trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, or sleep disturbances
- Compensation for catastrophic injuries such as the loss of an organ, hearing, or vision, disfigurement, permanent scarring, loss of limb, loss of enjoyment of life, or diminished quality of life
If a truck accident causes fatal injury, a close family member can recover compensation through a wrongful death claim by the decedent’s representative against the liable party under Montana 27-1-513.
Who Is Liable for My Truck Accident Damages In Bozeman?
A truck accident is devastating for all involved, but according to the National Safety Council (NSC), over 70% of truck accident injuries occur to those in smaller vehicles, not to the truck driver. A truck accident victim can recover compensation for their damages by filing a claim against the correct liable party. It often takes an investigation to determine liability because multiple entities are involved in the trucking industry. Common liable parties include:
- The truck driver
- The trucking company
- A negligent truck maintenance company
- A negligent freight loading company
- The manufacturer of a defective truck part, tire, or equipment
In some cases, liability may also rest with a negligent road maintenance agency or a third-party driver who contributed to the crash. An experienced Bozeman truck accident attorney can identify all liable parties and pursue every available source of compensation.