Road traffic collisions can be traumatic enough when two regular-sized vehicles weighing around 4,000 pounds are involved, so imagine the catastrophic consequences when a truck weighing around 40,000 pounds is caught up in it. The aftermath of a truck accident can be truly devastating, both physically and mentally, and can lead to permanent lifestyle changes. Below, we take a look at the seven most common injuries caused by a truck accident.
Spinal Cord Injuries
The spinal cord is a fragile mechanism that’s responsible for sending messages between the brain and other parts of the body. Given the sheer force of truck accidents, victims often suffer spinal cord injuries, which can lead to a complete loss of motor control and/or sensation. Considering how delicate the spinal cord is, it’s important to refrain from moving it if you suspect such an injury; seek medical care immediately.
All spinal cord injuries are considered serious and require emergency care to avoid irreparable damage. Even with medical intervention, there’s no guarantee that a victim will completely heal. Here are some of the common side effects associated with spinal cord injuries:
- Changes in personality
- A loss of sexual function
- Extreme suffering and pain
- Complete or partial paralysis
- A loss of cognition
- A loss of bowel or bladder control
If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal injury during a truck accident, turn to our reputable truck accident lawyer team to claim the compensation you deserve.
Head and Brain Injuries
As accident injury lawyers, we come across head and brain injuries all the time ranging from mild concussions to traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Even in the smallest of collisions, a bump to the head can cause lasting injuries. Typical symptoms of a head injury include dizziness, headaches, memory loss, and confusion. While some cases are recoverable, many head and brain injuries have a lifelong impact including regular mood swings, impaired cognitive abilities, constant headaches, and noticeable behavioral changes.
In the most severe truck accident cases, a TBI can leave a victim completely unresponsive or end up turning into an unfortunate fatality. Recovering from this type of injury is often challenging and long, with countless hours spent under medical care, therapy, and rehabilitation. Victims deserve compensation for this type of trauma, which is where Karns & Karns Personal Injury and Accident Attorneys can help.
Back and Neck Injuries
The sudden impact caused by a truck can cause back and neck injuries, which can vary in severity from mild discomfort to ongoing agony. Alongside the pain, recovering from a neck or back injury is turbulent at best, and the pain and suffering may return just as things begin to look better. With both neck and back injuries, victims may require long-term medical care and extensive rehabilitation, which has a detrimental impact on life.
Any of these severe injuries can lead to excessive time away from work, which only adds to the stress of high medical expenses. Rely on a truck accident injury lawyer from Karns & Karns Personal Injury and Accident Attorneys to make those responsible pay for their actions and receive a fair amount of compensation.
Lacerations and Burns
Trucks can carry hazardous materials including chemicals, which are more likely to cause fires and other extensive damage. Burns come in different shapes and sizes ranging from third to first-degree, and the road to recovery is extremely painful and long. Even when pain subsides and usual bodily function returns, many burn victims are left with permanent disfigurements, which can cause emotional distress.
Lacerations (any type of skin wound) are also common in truck accidents, and they can lead to severe bleeding and scarring. Additionally, depending on how traumatic the injury is, the recovery journey can be long and arduous.
The pain and emotional distress associated with the healing process are only half of the equation here. Many victims struggle with anxiety and other psychological issues as they grapple to accept changes in their appearance.
Internal Injuries
After being struck by a truck, the body can succumb to any number of internal injuries including bleeding, lung punctures, and damage to major organs. These types of injuries are caused by penetrative objects, blunt force trauma, or sudden/intense contorting of the body. The scary part about internal injuries is they’re not always immediately obvious; some people don’t experience symptoms until weeks or after the accident.
Suffering an internal injury following a truck accident means you’re entitled to claim compensation to cover pain and suffering, loss of income, medical expenses, property damage, and any other relevant damages. To make sure you get the best rate of compensation possible, put your trust in a road accident lawyer from Karns & Karns Personal Injury and Accident Attorneys.
Fractures and Broken Bones
Fractures and broken bones are another type of injury we see in truck accidents. Fractures and broken bones describe any injury that results in the discontinuity of a bone. There can be non-serious fractures where there’s a break but zero shifting or they can be extremely serious, where entire bones are shattered into pieces, and it protrudes through the outer layers of skin.
Fractures and broken bones may require physical therapy, surgery, and a long rehabilitation period. In the most unfortunate of truck accident cases, victims are left with chronic pain, permanent disabilities, or life-threatening conditions.
Emotional Distress
As well as the obvious financial costs associated with medical care and potential loss of earnings, all of these injuries have the power to cause emotional distress, which can stay with a person forever. Even if the truck accident isn’t too catastrophic, the experience alone can leave a victim with depression, anxiety, and PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), which often has a ripple effect that bleeds into many different areas of life including relationships, fear of driving, and comfort eating.
Truck accidents can wreak havoc in a person’s life, and there’s often no end to the trauma. If you or a loved one has been involved in a truck accident, contact Karns & Karns Personal Injury and Accident Attorneys now for a free consultation.
