Truck Accident Common Injuries

In 2015, around 4,300 large vehicles, such as trucks and buses, were involved in a fatal accident according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). More than this, around 87,000 trucks were involved in accidents that caused injuries across the United States. When trucks are involved in an accident of any type, the effects usually are more serious and lasting. This is usually due to the size of tractor-trailers. More often than not, it is the driver behind the smaller vehicle that suffers the most in truck accidents. These tractor-trailer types of trucks can weigh up to 40 tons (which is equal to about 80,000 pounds). Even if these trucks do not have a trailer attached to the back, they can still weigh up to one (1) ton. Also, the large size of tractor-trailer trucks can significantly increase the amount of force made on impact. Together these two factors can cause serious damage to your vehicle and cause major injuries to anyone affected.

Other factors that may affect the severity of a truck accident include the conditions of the road, the speed at which you and the truck driver were driving, what type of vehicle you drive, where the accident took place and the safety features your car may have. Also, both the size and the weight of a tractor-trailer truck can reduce the truck driver’s ability to slow down or stop in time to avoid a collision. This is why the truck driver and any other driver on the same road should exercise greater caution when driving.

When it comes to truck accidents, there are a variety of situations that may result in significant injury to anyone involved. The truck driver could not take the proper precautions, such as checking their blind spots, when changing lanes. Also, they collide with another vehicle if they do not pay attention. In some cases, slippery road conditions could reduce their ability to fully break which can result in an accident. If you are in a truck accident, then you may sustain serious injuries such as head trauma, broken bones, and even burns. With accidents involving a tractor-trailer, you may even find yourself stuck underneath the truck itself and unable to get out.

In any type of car accident, you may sustain a head trauma injury. With truck accidents, these injuries can be even more severe due to the force of impact that a truck may cause on the road. Head trauma injuries are especially serious since it can cause a lasting and major impact on your health, your future, and your ability to function properly. Traumatic head and brain injuries can even result in death.

Traumatic head and brain injuries include any type of injury in which your head has been struck or impacted with a significant blow. These injuries can result in brain damage as well. This category may include a range of injuries that differ in severity such as:

• Concussions,

• Skull fractures,

• Cranial hemorrhages, and

• Other injuries in the head region.

Head and brain injuries commonly occur in car accidents of any kind since there is significant force involved. The force created by a collision will cause a sudden and swift movement from your head. Because of this, your head may hit something externally, or the force will cause internal movement from your brain which can cause great damage. These types of injuries are especially life-threatening since it involves your head and brain which can severely affect your ability to function properly. The most severe injuries may result in death.

Example:

• One day, Mick was driving along the freeway. In front of him, a big-rig truck suddenly brakes and Mick is too slow to hit the brake in time. He collides with the truck. The force of impact causes Mick to hit his head against the headrest. This causes significant pain and leaves him with a concussion.

When it comes to traumatic head and brain injuries, there are some important symptoms to take note of if you have been in a truck accident. These include, but are not limited to:

• Lasting and intense headaches,

• Dizziness,

• An inability to properly concentrate,

• Disorientation,

• Confusion,

• Memory loss,

• Vomiting,

• Unconsciousness, and

• Seizures.

The more intense the symptoms are, the more severe the injury may be. In any case, emergency medical treatment and attention is necessary to ensure your health. If you have been checked by a doctor after an accident, but you are continuing to have these symptoms, you should go back since it may be a sign of a more serious condition.

Concussions are the mildest form of head trauma injuries. Usually, they occur when your head has been impacted with enough force to cause pain and headaches. With a concussion, there will be dizziness and disorientation on top of the pain. In most cases, concussions will go away.

Skull fractures are more serious. As its name suggests, this injury occurs when there has been enough force to crack or break your cranial bone, or skull. This injury results from intense impact with a foreign object. In truck accidents, this may occur if you have collided with the truck and your head has been struck or crushed by the truck. This type of injury may even be accompanied by a cranial hemorrhage. This condition describes bleeding from within your skull which can even lead to death in some cases.

Once again, with any type of car accident, neck and back injuries can be quite common. With accidents involving large trucks, the severity and effects of these injuries may be amplified due to the greater force involved. When operating any type of vehicle, you are seated and when you are in an accident, this will only increase the likelihood of an injury in your neck, back, and spinal regions. More than this, if you have become crushed under a large truck, it may greatly impact this region of your body.

Common types of neck and back injuries may include:

• Herniated discs,

• Whiplash,

• Strains, and

• Sprains.

One of the more serious types of injuries that may occur in a truck accident is a herniated disc. This occurs when the cushion within the spine is torn or ruptured due to sudden movement like twisting or by squeezing. If this does occur, you may experience excruciating pain throughout your body due to its location next to nerves. If this the case, you will need to seek medical attention. You may have to under X-rays or CT scans to be properly diagnosed. Usually, this will heal; however, in some instances, you may have to undergo surgery.

Any type of injury in these regions can cause a significant amount of pain that may run throughout your body since it is linked to your nervous system. When it comes to neck and back injuries, they will require medical attention. In most cases, you may have to have multiple treatments in order to heal properly and regain proper rotation. However, in more severe cases, you may have to undergo spinal or back surgery.

Another type of common injury that may result from a truck accident is broken or fractured bones. In most cases of car accidents involving large trucks, the driver usually sustains broken bones due to the force of impact. This injury occurs when a bone, or multiple bones, cracks or completely breaks as a result of a significant impact. When it comes to truck accidents, this may be a common type of injury due to their size and weight. This can result in a major impact, and you may even be crushed within your own vehicle. The force of impact combined with the heavy materials such as metal can easily cause one of your bones to break if you get into a truck accident.

Example:

• Sam was driving along the freeway when a big-rig started to merge into his lane. Without enough time to react, the large truck pushed his vehicle into another vehicle. Once the impact is made, Sam’s leg is crushed and the bones are broken.

If you have been in a serious truck accident, then you may have broken bones as a result. In some cases, you may even break multiple bones at once. Often times, you will know if you have fractured or broken a broken due to intense pain and an inability to probably move the if the bone was in your limbs. This serious type of injury will need medical treatment as soon as possible. As with any type of injury, the severity of the injury and the impact will vary depending on the situation. However, broken and fractured bones can be healed. Depending on the damage, the recovery may be relatively small or long.

It is not uncommon for an amputation to occur as a result of a truck accident. This is a highly serious type of injury in which one of your limbs, such as a leg or an arm, has been removed from your body. This may occur in multiple situations relating to a truck accident.

Amputation may occur as a direct result of the truck accident while on the crash scene. For example, if your limbs have become pinned under heavy and sharp metal, it may need to be amputated at the scene. Also, amputation may occur if you have sustained significant nerve damage or if your wounds have become infected. Not only may this affect arms and legs, but your fingers, feet, and toes may also be amputated as a result of a truck accident. As one can imagine, this type of injury can have a major impact on your life.

This type of injury may not only be intensely painful, but it may also severely affect you psychologically. You would need to be rehabilitated so that you could function properly afterward.

Even though it may not be the types of injury that may initially appear in your head when thinking about truck accidents, burns and smoke inhalation are quite common in these scenarios. When a collision has occurred with a large truck, then your vehicle or the truck may start a fire depending on certain factors. So, if you are involved in a crash and you have become stuck in your vehicle you may sustain serious burns if a fire is started. Also, if you are stuck and you have to wait until emergency services can rescue you, you may even suffer from smoke inhalation as a result of being around the fire for a long period of time.

Example:

• After colliding with a big-rig, David found himself pinned into his vehicle and unable to get out. A fire was sparked upon collision. As a result, David has to breathe in the smoke and suffers from serious burns from the hot metal.

In any case, you will need to seek medical attention right away to prevent infection or further damage to your health. These types of injuries can be treated with proper medical attention, and may even heal depending on the severity of the case.

Internal injuries are, as its name suggests, injuries that occur within your body. Because of this, these injuries may not be easily detected at a glance and may lack obvious visible symptoms. Yet, internal injuries can present a serious danger to your life as they may affect vital organs within your body. This can refer to injuries such as broken ribs, internal bleeding, and damage to organs such as the spleen, the liver, and kidney. Even though these injuries may not be readily visible, they may present intense pain and you will feel if something is not right most of the time.

Internal injuries are common injuries in any type of car accident, and especially in truck accidents. The impact and pressure from a collision may cause external, visible injuries, and they may also cause internal ones if your body has been compressed. If your body has been impacted with significant force, it may cause ruptures to vital organs and may also cause internal bleeding which can have serious effects on your health.

When you are checked by a physician, they will check for internal injuries as well as external ones. These are very serious and can severely impact your health.

If you have been in a serious truck accident due to the driver’s negligence, then you can receive legal help. The injuries that may occur from the collision or accident can greatly impact your physical health as well as your financial situation. Everyone’s situation may be different and the possible injuries may range from minor cuts and bruises to broken bones and, even, severe internal injuries. With legal assistance from a personal injury attorney, you may be able to receive damages for your injuries and your medical bills. At Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney, we are prepared to help you in any situation. Our attorneys are highly experienced and knowledgeable within the field of personal injury law. If you have recently been in a truck accident and you feel that you need legal assistance, then you should contact our team at 424-231-2013. Our team is here for you to help ensure that you receive the proper compensation and assistance for any injuries you may have sustained from a truck accident.