Truck accidents are one of the most common types of accidents in the United States. Each year, truck accidents result in thousands of truck accident victims, many of which are serious. In this blog post, we're going to discuss the most common trucking accident injuries. We'll cover traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, lacerations, and more. By the end of this post, you'll have a better understanding of the most common trucking accident injuries and what you can do to protect yourself.
What Are Some Different Types of Truck Accident Injuries?
A truck accident is among the most devastating types of car crashes because of the sheer size and weight of trucks compared to an average passenger vehicle. A large vehicle traveling at high speeds can cause serious damage to smaller passenger cars, motorcycles, and even pedestrians. Because of this, truck drivers must always be aware of their surroundings and pay attention to traffic conditions.
The type of injury sustained depends largely on where the accident occurs. For example, rear end collisions tend to produce different kinds of injuries than head-on collisions. Rear end collisions usually involve turning movements and sudden stops, while head-on collisions typically involve speeding and swerving.
Common truck accident injuries include: broken bones, internal injuries, spinal cord injuries, neck injuries, and traumatic brain injuries.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
When you're behind the wheel of a truck, you're in control. However, a truck driver's negligence can cause a high likelihood of being involved in a truck accident. A traumatic brain injury is a common severe injury caused by trucking accidents, and it can be devastating. These injuries often result in long-term disability or even death.
To help prevent these types of injuries, it's important to observe when you're near a truck. If you're a truck driver, make sure to remain focused on the road to avoid distracted driving. Make sure that you are wearing your seat belt and driving within the limits of your license and vehicle. Additionally, make sure that you have insurance coverage for any injuries that may occur while driving.
Spinal Cord Injuries
A truck accident injury involving the spinal cord can often result in paralysis, loss of sensation, and loss of motor function. These injuries can be extremely debilitating, both physically and emotionally.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a trucking accident, don't hesitate to seek help from an experienced truck accident attorney. A truck accident lawyer can help to ensure that you receive the money you're entitled to for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Broken Bones
When you're in a trucking accident, the chances of getting broken bones are high. It is also a common injury that victims experience and can lead to a variety of health complications.
If you have been injured in a trucking accident, it is important to get medical attention as soon as possible. Even if it appears that you didn't sustain severe injuries, a few broken bones may go unnoticed and can develop severe complications.
Lacerations
Lacerations can be caused by anything from broken glass to metal shards, which can be very deep. If you are injured in a trucking accident, it is essential that you seek medical help as soon as possible.
Even if you don't think that you have been injured badly, it is still important to go see a doctor just to make sure. There are many different injuries that can occur in a trucking accident, and it's best not to take any risks.
Whiplash
If you've been in a rear-end truck collision, you may have experienced the pain and stiffness that comes with whiplash. Whiplash is a soft tissue injury that can occur when the head and neck are suddenly jerked forward and then backward, as often happens in rear-end collisions. Whiplash injuries can be very serious, and they can often require surgery to correct the damage.
Among all common trucking accident injuries, whiplash is the most frequently reported. A whiplash injury can cause neck pain, headaches, stiffness, dizziness, and fatigue. In some cases, these symptoms can last for weeks or even months after the incident.
Burn Injuries
A burn injury occurs when skin tissue is damaged due to heat, radiation, chemicals, electricity, friction, or mechanical force. A burn injury can occur from a vehicle accident involving large vehicles like semi-trucks. If you are injured in a trucking accident, it is important to seek medical attention to treat your burns.
Head Injuries
Brain injuries can result from head injuries, which can occur even in an accident where there is no direct impact to the head. Whiplash, rapid acceleration/deceleration, and other types of indirect forces can injure the brain.
Symptoms may not show up immediately, and it is important to seek medical attention quickly.
Rib and Torso Injuries
Rib fractures are often associated with chest trauma, and thoracic injuries include damage to the lungs, heart, spine, and diaphragm. A large number of patients with rib fractures require hospitalization, and some experience long stays in intensive care units.
The severity of a rib fracture depends on several factors, including the location of the break, the direction of force applied to the bone, and whether the patient is wearing a seat-belt.
Facial injuries
A person suffering from facial injuries may experience pain, swelling, bruising, bleeding, broken teeth, and damage to nerves and blood vessels. A victim may lose consciousness, suffer a brain injury, or bleed into the skull.
Loss of Limbs
A car crash can lead to amputation. In fact, it happens about once per hour in the United States. And according to the American Association of Orthotists & Prosthetists, there are around 1.7 million Americans living with limb loss.
Post-Traumatic Stress
A car accident can cause post-traumatic stress disorder (also known as PTSD). This happens when someone experiences a traumatic event, like a car crash, where they feel threatened or injured. They are left feeling helpless or scared.
This can happen even if there isn't a physical injury. For example, it could be caused by witnessing something scary, like seeing a child fall off his bike. Or maybe you're afraid of driving because you've had a few close calls.
Paralysis
Spinal cord injuries are often caused by motor vehicle accidents. They can lead to permanent disability, including paralysis. Injuries can occur anywhere along the spine, from the neck down to the bottom of the tailbone. Most people recover some movement in their arms and legs; however, it is possible to lose all use of one side of the body.
Wrongful Death
When a driver loses control of his vehicle and causes a crash, it can lead to serious injuries or even death. If the victim dies, he or she can file a wrongful death lawsuit against the trucking company. In such cases, our attorneys work closely with medical experts to determine whether the trucker's negligence caused the fatal collision.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Can I Be Compensated For in a Truck Accident Lawsuit?
If you or a loved one suffered injuries due to a truck accident, it is important to know what types of damages are eligible under the law. You may be able to recover lost wages, pain, and suffering, and even loss of enjoyment of life. However, there are limits to how much money you can receive.
The amount of compensation you can collect depends on several factors, such as whether you were injured during the course of employment, whether the driver had proper insurance coverage, and whether you received an adequate warning about the dangers posed by the vehicle.
Who Pays for Car Accident Injuries?
If you cause a car accident and injure someone else, your auto insurance policy could help pay for their injuries. Your own insurance provider could even cover some of those costs if you have personal injury protection (PIP) or medical payment coverage. For example, if you hit another vehicle while driving drunk, your insurance company could pay for the injured party’s medical bills.
However, there are limits to what your insurer will pay out. You must meet certain requirements to qualify for PIP benefits. In addition, your own insurance policy will likely exclude coverage for property damage caused by another person. This includes damage to the other driver’s car.
What Can an Injury Lawyer Do for Me After a Car Accident?
If you've been injured in a car accident, it's important to work with a qualified attorney. A good lawyer can help you document your medical expenses, file a claim against the responsible party, and ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve.
A personal injury lawyer can do much more than just represent you during a lawsuit. You'll benefit from his or her advice about how to handle your situation and what steps to take next.
To Sum Things Up
These are only a few of the many types of injuries that can result from a car accident. No matter how minor you think your injuries are, it is always best to get checked out by a medical professional. Even if you feel fine now, some injuries may not present themselves until days or weeks after the accident.
Contact an experienced personal injury attorney today for a free consultation if you have sustained physical injuries from truck crashes. Even if you didn't experience the most severe injuries, injury attorneys can help you get compensation for your medical costs so you can gain physical and financial recovery.
Contact our attorneys today! You can rely on us to get you the compensation that you deserve.
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