Any motor vehicle accident can be devastating, but truck accident injuries are often particularly debilitating. Semi-trucks, when fully loaded, can weigh twenty to thirty times as much as a typical passenger vehicle. When struck by a truck at full speed, passenger vehicle occupants can be catastrophically or even fatally injured.
Truck accidents often lead to life-altering injuries. Learn about the four most common truck accident injuries and how to pursue financial recovery with the help of a Virginia truck accident lawyer.
Traumatic Brain Injury
Brain injuries are a common result of head trauma victims experience in a truck accident. In fact, motor vehicle accidents involving pedestrians, motor vehicles, and bicycles are the third most common cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI), according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
In a truck crash, your brain can suffer damage due to direct impact with an object like the steering wheel or windshield. You can also suffer traumatic brain injury when your brain hits the inside of your skull because of a sudden stop or change of direction. Penetrating traumatic brain injuries can happen if an object pierces the skull and enters the brain during the collision.
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can range in severity from mild concussions to severe damage. Signs of a traumatic brain injury may include:
- Headache
- Blurred vision and dizziness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Changed behavior or personality
- Confusion or disorientation
- Frustration, irritability, and mood swings
- Sensitivity to light and sound
- Fatigue or insomnia
- Loss of consciousness
- Seizures or convulsions
TBIs do not always show symptoms immediately. It is therefore critical that you seek medical treatment as soon as possible following a crash with a semi-truck. Medical providers can examine you and ascertain whether you need additional care to avoid complications.
Even victims of mild TBI require some medical attention to determine the extent of their injury. Moderate to severe brain injuries typically require emergency care and ongoing rehabilitative treatment. In some cases, victims of severe TBI may require long-term medical treatment for physical, cognitive, emotional, and occupational challenges. A Virginia brain injury lawyer can help you fight for compensation and justice.
Spinal Cord Damage and Paralysis
Motor vehicle accidents, including truck crashes, are one of the most common causes of spinal cord injury in the United States, according to NINDS. Spinal cord injury occurs when the bundle of nerves that connects the brain to the rest of the body is damaged. Such injuries may arise due to direct injury to the spinal cord by an external object, bone fragment, or other object. Other spinal injuries occur when the tissues and bones surrounding the spinal cord are injured.
Depending on the location and extent of your spinal cord damage, you can experience full or partial paralysis on a temporary or permanent basis.
Spinal cord injuries can cause numerous nerve-related symptoms, including:
- Numbness, tingling, or loss of sensation in the hands or feet
- Pain or pressure in the neck, head, or back
- Weakness or loss of function in any part of the body
- Paralysis or loss of movement in any part of the body
- Loss of control of bladder, bowel, breathing, and other functions
- Difficulty walking or remaining upright
A complete spinal cord injury can result in loss of communication between your brain and the areas of your body below the spinal injury. An incomplete injury, on the other hand, can leave you with some feeling or function of the areas below the injury site.
Truck accident victims who suspect spinal cord damage should seek medical help immediately. Prompt treatment can help with diagnosis and prevent further injury. Treatment for spinal cord damage often requires surgery, rehabilitation, and assistive devices. Victims may require long-term nursing care and disability accommodations. Our Virginia spine injury lawyers can help you hold a trucker liable.
Broken Bones
Broken bones are extremely common in truck accidents because of the high force of impact.
Areas of the body where bone fractures occur vary depending on the direction and force of the collision. Common bone fractures in truck crashes include:
- Skull fractures
- Leg fractures
- Arm fractures
- Rib fractures
- Pelvic bone fractures
- Neck vertebrae fractures
- Clavicle fractures
- Spinal fractures
- Foot and hand fractures
Broken bones require prompt medical assistance, as the bone must typically be set to avoid further damage. Depending on the location and severity of the break, accident victims with bone fractures may need surgery. Most individuals with broken bones will require critical care followed by physical rehabilitation. They may also require assistive devices and long-term medical care.
Internal Injuries and Organ Damage
Damage to the ribs and torso in a truck accident can cause invisible damage to your internal organs. Bruised and ruptured organs may cause you to go into shock, which could lead to organ failure. Additionally, damaged organs can hemorrhage into the abdomen, leading to serious blood loss and risking the patient’s life.
Truck accidents are particularly dangerous because of the high force of impact. Even with a seat belt, truck accident victims may suffer internal damage when the organs impact the ribs due to the force of the collision. In some cases, the seat belt itself can contribute to organ damage.
Signs of internal organ damage can be easy to overlook in the aftermath of an accident. Symptoms to watch for include:
- Abdominal pain
- Bruising, especially if it gets darker
- Abdominal swelling
- Headaches, fatigue, and dizziness
- Loss of consciousness
- Low blood pressure
- High heart rate
- Shortness of breath
- Blood in stool
The liver and spleen are the most likely organs to be impacted in a motor vehicle accident, but any organ, including the heart, lungs, and kidneys, can be injured.
These are only a few of the injuries you could suffer in an accident with a commercial truck. Other common injuries include burns, lacerations, amputation, whiplash, and facial trauma.
Seek Assistance From a Virginia Truck Accident Attorney Today
If you or a loved one experience serious injuries because of a truck accident, you have a legal right to seek compensation for your losses. The truck accident attorneys at the Parrish Law Firm, PLLC are here to help you recover a fair settlement for the injuries you suffered due to another’s negligence. Reach out to our Virginia personal injury lawyers today. We can discuss your legal options during a FREE claim review.
Call or Text 571-229-1800 or Complete a Free Case Evaluation form