What kinds of settlements are possible after being involved in a big rig accident? Are settlements/jury awards higher for these types of accidents?

Awards and/or settlements in cases involving big rig accidents tend to be higher than accidents involving passenger vehicles because of the severity of injuries or even death. Often 18-wheeler accidents can mean life-altering injuries or death.

Professional truck drivers are subject to more rules and regulations than an ordinary driver. First, they must obtain a commercial driver’s license. Second, truck drivers must follow numerous safety regulations, such as only driving the specified number of hours per day, only drive at a certain speed, not text and drive, and must not drive under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.

If a truck driver and/or the company they work for does not exercise extreme caution and adhere to safety standards, settlements and jury awards can be quite high. If evidence at the scene of an accident indicates a driver or the trucking company did not follow safety procedures, juries do not tend to look on such behavior favorably.