Recently, a tragic bus accident occurred in Newark, New Jersey. Two passenger buses operated by the New Jersey Transit Authority collided with each other while traveling through a busy intersection. Several people were seriously and permanently injured and two people lost their lives.
Sadly, unfortunate accidents like this happen far too often and they leave the individuals and families involved wondering how they will ever be able to get their lives back together. Attorneys representing 14 of the victims of the accident and their families have reported that they intend to seek at least $115 million in compensation for the permanent injuries suffered by their clients in the crash.
Whenever a person is involved in a car or truck accident through no fault of their own, they can recover compensatory damages for losses caused by the accident. The purpose of these damages is to reimburse the victims for all of the losses that occurred as a result of the accident. The ultimate goal of the law is to put the plaintiff in as good a situation as they were in before their life was disrupted by the injury. When the injury that is suffered is catastrophic in nature, the victim may never be able to physically and emotionally recover completely from the wreck.
Generally, when an individual is involved in a truck accident he or she is entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, out of pocket expenses, and noneconomic damages. Noneconomic damages can include pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of companionship. When someone is involved in a car wreck that results in a serious and permanent injury, there are often other damages issues that will need to be considered. Many times a permanent injury will prevent the victim from returning to work or doing the same type of work that he or she done in the past. In this situation, that person may be entitled to future damages based upon the loss of earning capacity resulting from the injuries.
Traumatic injuries can also require considerable medical care and treatment that will last long after a trial or settlement has been finalized. In these instances, victims can often recover damages meant to compensate them for this future medical treatment. Compensation for damages that will occur in the future is at times difficult to obtain and will almost always require the involvement of expert witnesses to meet the burden of proof that is required of the injured party in court.
In some circumstances, if it can be proven that the person who caused the accident acted maliciously or recklessly, then the injured victim may be able to obtain punitive damages as well. Punitive damages are different from compensatory damages in that they are not intended to compensate the victim but are designed to punish the negligent party for their wrongful actions. In Tennessee, punitive damages may be obtained in cases where a defendant’s conduct is considered to be egregious or appalling. For example, punitive damages can be awarded in drunk driving accidents.
Whenever people finds themselves in the unfortunate situation of dealing with a permanent injury, is critical that that they are represented by an attorney with the knowledge, skill, and resources to ensure that they receive the full amount of compensation available to them under the law. For a free initial consultation on your case, call the truck accident attorneys at Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz today at 1-800-LAW-4004.