What Types of Injuries Are Common in a Truck Accident?
What Types of Injuries Are Common in a Truck Accident?
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Commercial trucks outweigh passenger vehicles by several tons, which is why a truck accident has the potential to cause severe and potentially deadly injuries. Some of the most common truck injuries are listed below, ranging from head injuries like concussions to internal bleeding and soft-tissue damage
These injuries often result in mounting medical bills, lost wages from missing work, and physical pain and emotional suffering. You should strongly consider meeting with an experienced Baton Rouge truck accident lawyer because you may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses and other damages caused by your injuries.
The Baton Rouge truck accident attorneys of Simien & Simien have successfully pursued truck accident cases, recovering the compensation our clients deserve. If you have suffered one of the personal injuries mentioned below, contact us to schedule a free, no obligation legal consultation today.
1. Head Injuries
The sudden impact of a truck accident can cause the head to slam into the steering wheel, dashboard or other objects inside your car, which often causes injury to the head. There are several types of head injuries that are common in truck accidents:
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): A severe jolt or blow to the head can cause injury to the brain. TBIs often cause life-altering side effects, such as personality changes. If a TBI is severe enough, it could cause death.
Concussion: A concussion is a type of TBI caused by a blow to the head or the head being violently jolted around from the impact of the collision. Concussions can cause unconsciousness and disorientation and may take several days to recover from.
Eye or Facial Injuries: Contact with airbags, windshields, dashboards, steering wheels or flying debris during a truck accident can lead to facial or eye injuries. Scarring, vision damage and facial fractures can also occur.
Common symptoms that could be signs of a head injury include:
Nausea and vomiting
Disorientation
Feeling sleepy
Headache that does not go away
Dilated pupils
Memory loss
Mood swings
Difficulty balancing
Seizures
2. Neck Injuries
When a truck collides with a smaller vehicle, the body can be thrown violently in different directions. This often causes injury to the neck and can damage the following:
Nerves
Bones
Ligaments
Joints
Muscles
Whiplash
This is an injury to the neck’s soft tissues, and it occurs when the neck is thrown forward and suddenly stopped. Whiplash ranges from mild to severe, and may require ongoing treatment and a lengthy recovery period. Symptoms of whiplash include:
Pain in the neck or shoulders
Dizziness
Limited range of motion in the neck
Stiffness throughout the neck and shoulders
3. Back Injuries
Back injuries from truck accidents can be severe, causing life-long, chronic pain and extensive medical care. A full recovery may not be possible, and future medical complications can arise from these injuries. Common back injuries that are caused by truck accidents include:
Strains or sprains: These occur when the back’s ligaments and muscles are damaged.
Compression fractures: Trauma may cause fractures in the spine.
Spinal cord injury: The spinal cord or nerves at the spinal canal’s end can be damaged, causing complications like loss of strength or sensation.
Herniated disc: Impact can cause the cushion material between discs in the spine to bulge through the exterior. This compresses the surrounding nerves and can cause severe pain.
Paralysis: If the spinal cord is damaged, the victim may lose the ability to feel or move parts of the body. Quadriplegia is paralysis of all limbs, and paraplegia is paralysis of the lower body and legs.
4. Fractures and Broken Bones
Truck accidents can cause blunt force trauma that results in fractures or broken bones in virtually any part of the body. Treatment for broken bones may include surgery or casting.
The following bones are commonly broken in truck accidents:
Skull and bones of the face
Hands and wrists
Ribs
Pelvis
Legs
Arms
5. Wrist Injuries
Wrist injuries commonly result from truck accidents because the victim’s instincts lead him or her to throw up the hands as protection. Wrist injuries range in severity and could require surgery and physical therapy to correct.
Common truck accident wrist injuries include:
Scaphoid bone fractures
Wrist fractures
Dislocations
Sprains
6. Internal Injuries
The force of a collision with a commercial truck can cause organ damage and internal bleeding requiring immediate medical care. Organs that could be affected by an accident include:
Pancreas
Liver
Kidneys
Bladder
Spleen
7. Soft Tissue Injuries
The body’s tendons, ligaments, cartilage and muscles can be injured in a truck accident. Strains or sprains may result, ranging in severity. Surgery or physical therapy may be required to treat severe cases.
Soft tissue injuries are not always immediately noticeable so watch for these symptoms:
Pain
Bruising
Swelling
Reduced or lost function in the limb
8. Amputations
A truck accident alone can cause amputation of limbs, like the arms, hands, legs and feet. A common injury that could result in a limb being amputated is a crush injury.
9. Burns
Commercial trucks are equipped with larger fuel tanks than passenger vehicles. The amount of gas or diesel held within them could fuel a massive fire if these tanks are compromised in an accident. Exposure to a truck accident fire may cause serious burns. Victims may experience permanent scarring or loss of function as a result.
10. Lacerations
Shattered windows and contact with debris in a truck accident can result in lacerations, or cuts, ranging from mild to severe. Treatment could include medication, stitches, or even surgery. Unfortunately, some lacerations can cause permanent scarring.
11. Emotional Trauma
Being in a truck accident is a traumatic event. Victims may experience mental or emotional trauma following an accident. Anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder are common, and may require ongoing treatment to manage.
12. Wrongful Death
Truck accidents have the potential to cause deadly injuries. If negligence caused the accident, resulting fatalities could constitute wrongful death. In such cases, the victim’s family may wish to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit.
Contact Our Truck Accident Lawyers Now
Truck accident cases are complicated because there are often numerous parties involved and the commercial trucking industry is regulated by many federal and state laws.
This is why you should consider working with an attorney who has detailed knowledge of the trucking industry and experience with truck accident cases.
The personal injury lawyers of Simien & Simien have many years of combined experience pursuing compensation for victims of negligence, including truck accident victims. We are prepared to pursue negligent drivers, trucking companies and other liable parties to secure compensation for your medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering, and other damages.
Learn what legal options may be available in your situation by scheduling a free, no-obligation case consultation. We accept cases on a contingency fee basis only, so you only pay if we are successful in recovering compensation for you.
Call (800) 374-8422 or complete our Free Case Evaluation form today.
