- October 11, 2022
Truck accident injuries are more insitious than you may originally think. Driving a commercial truck is among the most dangerous jobs in the United States. Truck drivers usually spend many hours each day on the roads, placing them at significant risk of getting injured in motor vehicle accidents.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 5,600 people lost their lives in accidents involving large trucks in 2021. If you or a loved one sustained injuries in a South Carolina truck accident, a Greenwood truck accident attorney could advise you on your legal options. In case of a fatal truck accident, victims’ families can seek compensation from the at-fault truck driver and trucking company.
Catastrophic injuries and fatalities are more likely to occur when an 18-wheeler is involved in an accident due to its larger size, greater weight, and reduced maneuverability. It’s natural to have many questions after being hurt in a truck accident. Keep reading to learn the most common injuries suffered by truck accident victims.
Types of Truck Accident Injuries
Truck accidents often cause significant damage to what they hit. They can cause a wide range of penetrative injuries and blunt force trauma. Catastrophic truck crash injuries significantly affect the quality of life. Some of the most common truck accident injuries include:
Traumatic Brain Injuries
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can happen when you hit your head on any hard surface, not only the dashboard. A truck colliding with a passenger car might cause significant brain damage from the impact. Because TBIs aren’t often obvious shortly after an accident, being checked out by a doctor is crucial.
Brain injuries can manifest as vision problems, ringing ears, or other cognitive symptoms. Most mild TBIs improve over a few months, while some can cause long-term health issues.
Wrist Injuries
During a truck crash, your wrists may bump into the steering wheel, dashboard, airbag, or windows. The most common wrist injuries include:
- Fractures.
- Sprains.
- Tendon injuries.
- Ligament tears.
- Dislocated joints.
- Crush injuries.
These truck accident injuries can be mild or severe; the latter may necessitate surgery and continued rehabilitation.
Cuts and Bruises
Cuts and lacerations to the face and body are common in truck accidents because of flying debris, shattered glass, or impact on a stationary object. Although bruises may seem trivial compared to a concussion or a broken spine, they can cause severe disfigurement or infection to the body.
Broken Bones or Fractures
Bone fractures are serious truck accident injuries that need speedy medical attention, and some complex fractures require costly surgical procedures to facilitate recovery. The two broad categories of bone fractures include:
- Non-displaced fractures: In non-displaced fractures, the bone cracks but does not fully separate into different pieces.
- Displaced Fractures: These happen when the bone breaks completely. When the bone breaks through the skin, it is considered a compound fracture.
Without prompt medical attention, fractures can worsen into life-threatening conditions, including internal bleeding, infection, nerve damage, and lifelong deformity. No matter how well it’s treated, a fractured bone will always remain weaker.
Safety Belt and Airbag Truck Accident Injuries
The safety equipment in your automobile or truck could end up being the source of your truck accident injuries. Seatbelts prevent passengers from being flung around the car’s interior or ejected from the vehicle. But the safety belt can also cause serious injuries such as broken ribs and crushed internal organs.
Also, the speed at which airbags deploy might lead to severe injuries to the head or hands. Although the safety features may cause harm, not wearing a seatbelt or turning your airbag on is much riskier.
Burn Injuries
Burns often happen when the accident involves trucks ferrying highly flammable commodities like gasoline Scarring and lifelong disfigurement is two possible outcomes of severe burns. Burn pain can be excruciating, and the victims risk secondary complications such as infection.
Neck and Back Injuries
Drivers and passengers in truck accidents risk catastrophic back, neck, and spinal cord injuries, such as herniated discs. When the cervical spine is rapidly jolted forward and back, it causes a painful condition known as “whiplash,” characterized by sore muscles and strained ligaments in the neck.
Weakness, numbness, and even paralysis can result from damage to the spinal cord. People who sustain neck or back injuries will likely be unable to do their daily activities or return to work due to the excruciating pain and other symptoms they experience. A seasoned truck accident lawyer in Greenwood, SC, can help you recover maximum compensation for your injuries.
Internal Injuries
Internal injuries may arise from various actions in a truck accident, including the collision impact and the resistance of a seat belt. Some of the most commonly affected organs are the liver, kidneys, and spleen. Broken or damaged ribs can cause severe damage to essential organs, including the lungs and heart.
Amputations
Amputation is a common and devastating result of truck accidents. It can be a direct result of the accident or a secondary effect of the injuries experienced. Forces from a truck crash are so great that amputations can happen instantly. More often than not, a severed limb will require surgical amputation. No matter the circumstances, a person’s life is eternally altered after an amputation.
Amputation, the surgical removal of a limb or digit, is one of the most devastating traumas. Extremity amputation is sometimes necessary after an accident because of severe tissue or nerve damage.
Wrongful Death
Large commercial vehicles contribute significantly to the annual highway fatalities. Local and state laws allow a victim’s family to seek justice through a wrongful death claim when a loved one dies in a trucking accident. This can help the surviving spouse, children, and other close relatives get financial aid to deal with the monetary and emotional burdens brought on by the death of a loved one, such as burial and final expenses, medical bills, and loss of financial support and income.
However, these cases are typically lengthy and involve multiple court hearings. Insurance firms will often double down on their efforts to achieve a favorable resolution when the financial stakes are high. Your personal injury attorney can help negotiate with insurance adjusters on your behalf to ensure you get fair compensation.
Top Causes of Truck Accidents
Some of the top causes of truck accidents in Greenville include:
- Driving while distracted.
- Fatigued driving.
- Negligent driving.
- Drunk driving.
- Excessive speeding.
- Careless driving.
- Poor training.
- Lack of break periods for drivers.
Contact a Greenwood Truck Accident Lawyer Today
Recovery should be the top priority after any automobile accident. At Ayers, Smithdeal & Bettis PC, we understand that truck accidents can be life-changing events. We’ll help you get the compensation you deserve so you can focus on what matters most, healing.
Call us at (855) 213 -4405 to schedule a free case evaluation.
