Every year, thousands of individuals become victims of truck accidents, often resulting in serious and life-altering injuries. Truck accident injuries can range from minor cuts and bruises to severe trauma such as spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and even fatalities.
These accidents lead to physical and emotional trauma and create a ripple effect of financial and legal complexities that victims and their families must navigate. This article analyzes the leading causes of truck accident injuries, the prevention measures one can take, and the legal rights and protections available to victims.
Common Truck Accident Injuries
One key aspect that magnifies the severity of these incidents is the commonality of truck accident injuries, particularly those sustained by truck drivers. The vast network of American highways witnesses numerous situations that leave victims grappling with injuries ranging from minor cuts and wounds to debilitating damage that can last a lifetime.
Here are a few of the most common truck accident injuries:
1. Back & Neck Injuries
The violent jolt of a truck collision frequently results in serious back and neck injuries. Victims may experience conditions such as whiplash, a painful neck injury caused by a forceful back-and-forth movement of the neck.
Disc herniation, where the outer ring of an intervertebral disc tears and the inner portion protrudes out, is another potential injury. The most severe of these injuries involve the spinal cord and can lead to partial or complete paralysis, forever changing the lives of those affected.
2. Head Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are often the consequence of high-impact truck accidents. TBIs can range from mild concussions, which might temporarily affect brain function, to more severe forms leading to prolonged unconsciousness or memory loss. Skull fractures or penetrating head injuries can also occur, causing lasting cognitive impairment and other long-term health effects.
3. Broken Bones
The intense force exerted during a truck accident can result in various types of bone fractures. These may involve simple breaks in limbs or more complicated fractures in sensitive areas like the pelvis or spine. Compound fractures, where the broken bone pierces the skin, can also occur and require extensive treatment and recovery time.
4. Internal Injuries
Truck accident injuries can inflict damage well beyond the surface. These might include damage to vital organs such as the heart, lungs, or liver, causing internal bleeding or functional impairments. Punctured or collapsed lungs, a potentially life-threatening condition, are also possible and require immediate medical attention.
5. Burns
In cases where a truck accident ignites a fire or causes an explosion, victims can suffer from severe burns. These injuries extend beyond immediate pain, leading to significant scarring, possible infections, and long-term physical and emotional trauma.
Causes Of Truck Accident Injuries
Truck accidents can occur for many reasons, usually a combination of human error, mechanical failures, and environmental factors. One leading cause is driver fatigue. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), up to 13 percent of commercial drivers were considered fatigued at the time of their crash.
Other factors on the road impact truck accident injuries, and most of these scenarios are unpredictable. Poor maintenance of trucks can result in brake failures, tire blowouts, or steering issues, all contributing to collisions. Adverse weather conditions like fog, heavy rain, or icy roads can also exacerbate these risks. Each of these causes can result in severe injuries due to the massive size and weight of trucks compared to other vehicles on the road.
Preventing Truck Accident Injuries
Preventing truck accident injuries involves both driver vigilance and systemic improvements. Training for truck drivers should focus on recognizing and managing fatigue and stress, as well as safe driving in challenging weather conditions. A prime example of this being done today in the trucking industry is the implementation of Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs).
ELDs record driving times for commercial truck drivers and captures critical data on the truck’s engine, movement, and odometer readings. Other road users also play an important role in reducing truck accident injuries by maintaining a safe distance from trucks, refraining from cutting in front of trucks, and understanding their blind spots while changing lanes on the highway.
Legal Rights & Protections
In the unfortunate event of a truck accident, victims have various legal rights and protections. Under personal injury law, victims may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain, suffering, etc. A critical aspect of this process is determining liability, which could be attributed to the truck driver, trucking company, cargo loaders, or truck manufacturers.
An experienced truck accident attorney can help navigate these complexities and advocate for the victim’s rights. Deldar Legal has you covered with a team of personal injury lawyers ready to review your truck accident injuries. Call us at (844) 335-3271 or contact us online to schedule your free case evaluation.
Tagged with: big rig accidents
Posted in: Trucking Accidents