Damages in Cordova truck accident cases are often much more significant than what you might see in regular car crashes. This is because collisions involving commercial trucks can have catastrophic results.
Tennessee law allows people injured in these crashes to pursue different types of compensation, which depend on the circumstances of your specific case and the severity of your injuries. The damages you can recover typically fall into three main categories: economic, non-economic, and punitive damages. A talented trucking accident attorney from The Law Office of David E. Gordon & Elissa M. Coombs can help you determine what compensation you may be entitled to.
Damages Available in Truck Accident Cases
In a truck accident case, our Cordova attorneys identify all of an injured person’s losses and determine what compensation is available. This may include the following.
Economic Damages
Economic damages can include medical care, rehabilitation, surgeries, prescription costs, and ongoing treatment needs. Lost earnings and loss of future earning capacity are also recoverable. For instance, if a FedEx World Technology Center employee sustains a spinal injury and cannot return to manual work, vocational and economic experts may help them project long-term income loss. Injured individuals may also claim property damage, towing, and rental costs.
In one case our attorneys handled, an injured construction worker received a $1.8 million settlement that covered both medical expenses and lost earning potential. These damages are generally supported by medical records, pay stubs, tax returns, and expert evaluations.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages compensate for losses that cannot be measured in strict financial terms. These include pain and suffering, emotional distress, permanent disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Under Tennessee Code Annotated § 29-39-102, non-economic damages in personal injury lawsuits are capped at $750,000. If the injuries involve catastrophic loss, such as paralysis or amputation, the cap increases to $1,000,000. This limit does not apply to economic damages.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are designed to punish defendants for intentional misconduct, fraud, or gross negligence. These damages are rare and require a higher burden of proof. The state limits punitive damages to the greater of $500,000 or twice the total compensatory award, under Tennessee Code Annotated section 29-39-104.
To recover punitive damages, an injured person must show that the defendant’s actions were reckless or intentional. In the context of trucking litigation, this can include knowingly allowing a fatigued driver to operate a vehicle in violation of 49 CFR Part 395 or ignoring failed brake inspections documented under 49 CFR Part 396. If a truck driver was impaired or the carrier altered safety records, the court may allow a punitive damages claim to proceed.
Who Covers Damages in a Truck Crash?
For someone to be liable for accident-related injuries and damages in a Cordova truck crash case, an injured person must prove they have legal fault. Fault may rest on negligence or the vicarious liability of employers or truck owners, and David and Elissa investigate to identify every party responsible.
Truck accidents often involve multiple liable parties, including the driver, carrier, maintenance provider, or cargo loader. Violations of federal rules, such as 49 CFR Part 395 (Hours of Service) and 49 CFR Part 396 (vehicle maintenance), may provide strong evidence of negligence. Other key pieces of evidence can include dashcam footage, black box data, logbooks, and inspection reports.
Contact a Cordova lawyer about compensation in a truck accident case
The Law Office of David E. Gordon and Elissa M. Coombs has a long record of representing people seriously injured in trucking accidents in Shelby County and throughout Tennessee. Our firm has secured meaningful results, including a confidential settlement for a family rear-ended by an 18-wheeler and full compensation for a couple hit by an uninsured driver.
We understand damages in Cordova truck accident cases. Contact us today for a free consultation to speak with one of our trucking accident lawyers.
