The answer to this question lies entirely in your own situation. There are two types of damages that people seek: punitive and compensatory. You'll likely seek compensatory damages, which means the responsible party will be asked to pay for costs incurred because of your injury or during recovery. These are often cut-and-clear costs, like how much you owe a hospital or wages you lost during time off, but can include harder-to-calculate amounts, like pain and suffering. Punitive damages may be sought if you received an extreme injury or your loved one died due to a truck accident. These damages are meant more to punish the responsible party than to provide compensation for the injured party, which is why most personal injury lawsuits will not include them.