The severity and permanence of the injuries. Medical costs to date, the cost of future care, time away from work, and reduced earning capacity form the measurable core of a claim. Serious or permanent injuries change every number that follows.
The available coverage. Federal rules set a floor of $750,000 in liability coverage for most interstate for-hire carriers, and many carry more. Lighter local commercial vehicles fall under different rules and can carry far less. More than one policy may apply — driver, carrier, trailer owner, shipper — and your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can become part of the recovery when the truck's coverage falls short. Identifying every policy is often the single biggest settlement factor.
The strength of the fault evidence. Driver logs, onboard data, and dashcam video preserved early make fault hard to dispute. Records that were never preserved can't help.
Comparative fault. Arizona follows pure comparative negligence: if a claimant is found partly at fault, the recovery is reduced by that percentage — and is not eliminated. How fault gets allocated among everyone involved directly moves the settlement.
Timing. A claim resolved before the injuries are fully understood tends to undervalue future care. Patience, backed by a case prepared to go the distance, is itself a factor.
Be cautious with settlement calculators and averages found online — the ranges are wide because these factors vary so much. The reliable way to understand a specific claim is a review of its specific facts.
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