What Are The Most Common Truck Accident Injuries?
When compared to car accident injuries, truck accident injuries present a higher risk of being severe in nature due to the size and weight of commercial trucks. In 2020 alone, 4,014 people died in commercial truck accidents, 68% of which were those who were passengers or driving other vehicles.
Outside of wrongful death, the most common truck accident injuries include back and neck injuries, broken bones, lacerations, and brain injuries — to name a few.
In this article, the Houston 18-wheeler accident lawyers from Grimes & Fertitta will go into detail about possible injuries one can sustain during a truck accident in Texas and guide you on what to do following an accident.
7 most common truck accident injuries
The trucking laws in Texas are in place to protect both the driver and others on the road from accidents happening due to negligence, exhaustion, or carelessness. Even with the tight regulations in place, accidents happen, and with motor vehicles as big as commercial trucks, any injuries sustained have the potential to be serious.
Here are the most common truck accident injuries according to yearly truck accident reports.
1. Neck injuries
Whiplash, or a cervical acceleration-deceleration injury, is a very common injury from any accident, whether you were hit by a truck or a car. Neck pain caused by whiplash can cause muscle strains, tendon injuries, or ligament injuries. Some people even report dealing with neck symptoms such as pain or stiffness for years after the accident.
2. Broken bones
With over 206 bones in the body, there are a lot of opportunities for at least one of them to be broken in a major trucking accident. Some broken bones are able to be treated with a cast while others require surgery and a long recovery road including rehabilitation.
3. Burns
18-wheeler trucks carry all sorts of cargo, but some of them, like tanker trucks, carry harmful chemicals or gasoline that can cause fires or explosions upon impact. Burn injuries are not just incredibly painful but they can cause permanent damage or disfigurement. If the burns are severe enough, they may also threaten one’s life.
4. Head and brain injuries
Due to the weight of trucks involved in commercial truck accidents, head and brain injuries (including concussions) are very common. Although the severity of concussions can often be overlooked as nothing more than a bumped head, they can have lasting effects on individuals leading to neuropsychiatric symptoms or neurological problems. Hitting your head in an accident can also cause conditions such as hematomas, hemorrhages, and contusions.
5. Back and spinal cord injuries
Your spinal column holds all of the nerves that help your brain communicate to the rest of your body. Injuries sustained to your spinal cord can be life-altering, leaving victims unable to move their limbs at worst or chronic back pain at best.
6. Lacerations
During an accident, glass gets shattered and pieces of the vehicle or truck can go flying, lodging themselves right in the bodies of those involved and causing puncture wounds. These deep cuts can cause scarring and, in the case of facial lacerations particularly, can lead to permanent disfigurement.
7. Wrongful death
Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for trucking accidents to be fatal. Whether the accident was caused by a jackknifed truck or a side swipe, the huge size and weight of 18-wheelers when compared to other vehicles and motorcycles on the road make them a threat to the safety of other drivers.
If you lost someone in a truck accident, you may be able to file a claim for wrongful death compensation. But we wouldn’t advise doing so without the help of an aggressive truck accident lawyer. You’re going up against large trucking companies and insurance providers who care more about defending themselves than compensating you fairly for your loss.
What to do after a truck accident injury
According to the National Safety Council, there were 107,000 commercial truck accidents that were severe enough to cause injury in 2020. If you are in a truck accident, regardless of whether you sustained any injuries, here’s what you should do:
- Call 911, assess injuries, and move away from the road if able.
- Collect evidence from the scene including images, videos, and contact information for any witnesses.
- Exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver.
- Even if you believe you did not suffer any injuries, seek medical attention to diagnose any unknown, internal damage.
- Contact a Houston truck accident lawyer immediately to give yourself the best chance at fighting for the damages you deserve.
Need help filing a lawsuit following a truck accident? We’re on your side.
The scope in severity of truck accident injuries ranges from more minor injuries such as whiplash to more tragic, life-threatening injuries that can cause death by a semi-truck. Even though 18-wheeler trucks only make up about 5% of all motor vehicles on the road, they can pose a serious risk to drivers of smaller vehicles.
If you or a loved one were in a Texas 18-wheeler accident caused by the carelessness or negligence of someone else, you may be entitled to compensation and should seek the counsel of an 18-wheeler accident attorney at Grimes & Fertitta as soon as possible. Although it won’t undo the pain and suffering you’ve likely had to endure, it can at the very least ease the financial burden you’ve had to face as a result of the accident.
As previous insurance defense lawyers, we have inside knowledge of the tactics providers and major trucking companies use to deny accountability. To learn more about how we can defend your case, give us a call at (713) 903-3405 or contact us online for a free consultation today.
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