Truck accidents are some of the most dangerous out there on the roads. Given the size of these types of vehicles, they are immediately more serious events when a collision occurs. They will cause serious harm to any person or vehicle in their path, and this means there is scope for grave injuries to occur. This article looks at the most common injuries that truck accident lawyers like us are likely to see and how we help victims deal with the aftermath.
Why Are Truck Accidents So Dangerous?
What makes an accident with a truck so dangerous? There are a lot of ways to answer this question, starting with the most obvious: the size of the vehicle. They are simply bigger than anything else driving about so when something goes wrong, it immediately becomes a high-stakes situation. The next point is their weight; as these are heavy vehicles, when they hit something or someone, there is a higher risk of being crushed or seriously injured. Our expert vehicle accident lawyer team will talk through any injuries suffered by you or a loved one and find the best way forward.
What Else?
Given the size and weight of trucks, the risk factors that contribute to an accident taking place are heightened. This means if a driver is speeding, there are poor weather conditions like rain, fog, or ice, or a trucker is in some way impaired by alcohol or drugs, the stakes are raised even higher.
Next, we will look at the injuries truck accident lawyers are most likely to see.
Broken Bones
Broken bones are a top injury when it comes to truck accidents. Victims, whether they are in a car, riding a bike, or a pedestrian caught up in the scene, will often suffer from broken bones of some description. These may be severe breaks requiring surgery or even amputation in some cases.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
TBIs happen when the head is hit in some way and, unfortunately, this happens a lot during truck-related incidents. The general impact of a truck colliding with another person or vehicle is likely to cause this type of injury, and when it does happen, it is always a serious complication. Brain injuries in particular are more likely to cause prolonged complications in the days, weeks, months, and years after the accident occurs.
Back and Neck
Whether it is a broken bone, or some other kind of damage, backs and necks are vulnerable during a collision. These are fragile areas of the body that hold the central nervous system, so if they are hurt, everything from the ability to speak to being able to move could be impacted.
Lacerations
Lacerations are also common and often call for major surgical procedures to rectify. Any amount of blood loss threatens life, and there are so many things in an accident that can lead to bleeding. For instance, shattered or flying glass fragments from the vehicles involved in the crash.
Internal Complications
There may be internal complications to speak of as well, like internal bleeding or damage to the soft tissue and organs inside the body. When these types of injuries occur, it is a risky thing indeed and the victim will have to be constantly monitored with a high level of intervention-led care.
Paralysis
Paralysis is generally the result of a back or neck injury when certain nerves are hit during a crash. It means that the victim can no longer move all or part of their body, most commonly from the waist down.
Wrongful Death
Truck accidents, because of the severity of impact, cause a number of wrongful deaths every year.
Find Out About Compensation After a Truck Accident
What can you claim after a truck accident? Well, there are a few things to discuss here.
Medical Bills
Medical bills, and we are sure this is no big secret, are expensive! They increase in cost regarding how much medical intervention needs to happen, for example, surgery or prolonged stays in the hospital. While some of this cost will be covered through insurance policies, there is a limit and the last thing you need is to be facing mountains of debt because of a negligent truck driver.
Loss of Wages
It may also be impossible to return to work for a long time while you recover and heal. This means you will be facing lost wages which will have a major impact on how you function in daily life. This will also increase mental health factors like anxiety and even depression.
How the Compensation Is Determined
The actual compensation figure is determined by a few deciding factors including how many injuries you sustained and how severe these are as well. We will also talk to you about how your life has changed since the accident and the ways you continue to be affected as you navigate this new environment.
The Extent of the Injuries
The extent of your injuries means how serious they are. So, if you are still in recovery, or even having to stay in hospital for a prolonged period, this is useful information to volunteer. This personal injury law firm needs to understand exactly what happened and how grave the sustained injuries are so that we can represent the facts of the case in the most authentic way.
The Impact on Life
It is important to discuss the impact on your daily life with your personal injury accident lawyer. This has such a profound impact on the compensation figure so it is worth exploring in as much detail as you can submit. Don’t hold back, because everything is relevant. Talk about how you have been impacted; for example, have you been signed off from work since the accident happened? Are you struggling with PTSD or any other mental health condition as a result?
The team of expert attorneys at Karns & Karns Truck Accident Attorneys law firm is here for you after an accident takes place. There is always something that can be done, and compensation is a common request when there has been some kind of personal injury. Get in touch today and let’s work this out together.
We have offices in California, Texas & Nevada.