What’s the Most I Can Get From a Truck Accident Lawsuit in South Carolina?

For many victims, maximizing their compensation makes total sense after a truck accident in South Carolina. After all, inflation doesn’t seem to be slowing down. What seems like a lot of money today might seem relatively disappointing 10 years from now, and many truck accident injuries are permanently disabling, disfiguring, or life-changing. What is the most you could possibly get after filing a truck accident lawsuit?

The Difference Between a “Verdict” and a “Settlement”

If you’re curious about what the upper limit of your compensation might be, you should strive to understand the difference between a “verdict” and a “settlement.” A jury issues a verdict during a truck accident trial, which occurs in court before a judge. Verdicts are quite unpredictable, because no one knows how a jury will react to a particular case. Jurors are essentially random people taken off the street, and they may have all kinds of ideas about how much a truck accident lawsuit is “worth.”

On the other hand, a “settlement” is a much more formulaic type of compensation. An insurance company offers you a financial settlement after a private negotiation process that occurs outside of court. The insurer’s representative (called an adjuster) should take into account your economic and non-economic damages when determining how much your settlement offer should be. The final settlement is often the result of considerable “back-and-forth” between your attorneys and the adjusters during the negotiation.

Verdicts can be much higher than settlements. However, they could also be much lower. You might even receive nothing at all if the jurors believe that you are completely to blame for your own injuries. A verdict could also be roughly the same as what you would normally receive via a settlement.

Over 90% of all civil claims (including truck accident lawsuits) are settled outside of court by parties during private negotiations. Only a small percentage of truck accident lawsuits ever reach the trial stage. Some believe that settlements are more predictable than verdicts, therefore representing a “safer” option for victims. Other lawyers are far more confident about going to trial and fighting for higher levels of potential compensation.

Nuclear Verdicts Are Becoming More Common in Truck Accident Lawsuits 

A relatively new trend in the world of truck accident lawsuits is the emergence of “nuclear verdicts.” A nuclear verdict can potentially be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. This gives you some idea of what the highest possible compensation you might receive.

Can a South Carolina Truck Accident Lawyer Help Me Maximize My Compensation?

One of the key goals for a South Carolina truck accident lawyer is to help you maximize your compensation. If you deserve a certain amount of money, you should fight for that sum to the best of your abilities. That said, your maximum compensation probably depends on the unique aspects of your case, such as the extent of your injuries or the amount of money you earn each year. Discuss your case in more detail with Mickelsen & Dalton, LLC today.

Sources:

 trucknews.com/transportation/trucking-companies-hit-with-165m-in-nuclear-verdicts-in-the-u-s-in-2023/1003191698/

truckinginfo.com/news/atri-research-on-nuclear-verdicts-in-trucking-highlights-ways-to-control-litigat