- Speeding
- Overloading trailers
- Driving more hours than federally mandated
- Not taking rest breaks
- Driving in dangerous weather
- Driving when fatigued
Common Truck Accident Injuries
Truck accidents are among the most devastating collisions on the road. Because of a truck’s massive size and weight, victims often suffer serious or even life-changing injuries. If you’ve been hurt in a crash involving a tractor-trailer, delivery truck, or commercial vehicle, our attorneys will fight to get you full compensation for every injury and loss you’ve suffered.
Here are some of the most common injuries we see in truck accident cases:
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
Head trauma from a truck collision can cause concussions, memory loss, or permanent brain damage. These injuries often require long-term medical care and rehabilitation.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Damage to the spine can lead to partial or complete paralysis. Victims often face lifelong medical needs and significant loss of independence.
Back and Neck Injuries
Whiplash, herniated discs, and nerve damage are common in rear-end or side-impact truck crashes. These injuries can cause chronic pain and limit your ability to work.
Broken Bones and Fractures
The force of a truck impact can easily break arms, legs, ribs, or hips, leading to surgeries, hospital stays, and months of recovery.
Internal Organ Damage
Blunt force trauma from a crash can cause bleeding or damage to vital organs like the liver, spleen, or kidneys — often life-threatening if untreated.
Severe Lacerations and Deep Cuts
Shattered glass, jagged metal, and road debris can cause deep cuts and scarring that require surgery or cosmetic repair.
Burn Injuries
Explosions or fires after a truck crash can cause severe burns that result in scarring, infection, or permanent disfigurement.
Crush Injuries
Victims pinned under wreckage or inside crushed vehicles often suffer crushed limbs or require amputation.
Facial Injuries and Disfigurement
Facial fractures, dental damage, or scarring can lead to lasting physical and emotional pain.
Psychological Trauma
The emotional toll of a truck accident can be just as serious as the physical injuries. Many victims suffer from PTSD, anxiety, or depression long after the crash.
Types of Truck Accident Injuries
Truck accidents can occur in various ways due to the unique characteristics of commercial trucks and the challenges they pose on the road. Some common types of truck accidents include:
Rear-End Collisions: These occur when a truck strikes the vehicle in front of it. Factors such as speeding, tailgating, and sudden braking can contribute to rear-end collisions involving trucks.
Jackknife Accidents: In jackknife accidents, the truck’s trailer swings outward, resembling the angle of a folding knife. This often happens when the truck’s cab and trailer lose alignment, typically due to braking too hard or driving too fast around a curve.
Underride Accidents: Underride accidents happen when a smaller vehicle slides under the trailer of a truck. These accidents often result in severe injuries or fatalities for occupants of the smaller vehicle due to the height differential.
Rollover Accidents: Rollover accidents occur when a truck tips onto its side or roof. Factors such as speeding, sharp turns, uneven road surfaces, or improperly loaded cargo can contribute to rollover accidents.
Blind Spot Accidents: Trucks have large blind spots, especially on the right side and directly behind the vehicle. Accidents can occur when a truck driver fails to see a vehicle in these blind spots while changing lanes or making turns.
Wide Turn Accidents: Due to their size, trucks require more space to make turns. Accidents can happen when a truck swings wide while turning, colliding with vehicles in adjacent lanes or pedestrians on sidewalks.
Lost Load Accidents: If cargo is not properly secured, it can shift or fall off the truck, causing accidents and creating hazards for other vehicles on the road.
Tire Blowouts: Blowouts of truck tires can lead to loss of control, resulting in accidents. Improper maintenance, overloading, or driving on poorly maintained roads can increase the risk of tire blowouts.
Each type of truck accident presents its own set of challenges and potential causes. Understanding these types of accidents can help improve safety measures and reduce the risk of collisions involving commercial trucks.
If you’ve been injured or lost a loved one in an accident involving a truck, it’s important to remember that trucking companies carry large insurance policies due to the dangers their vehicles and operators pose to other drivers. But, their insurers aren’t necessarily going to offer you the settlement you deserve. To get a settlement worthy of your injuries or lost loved one, it’s important that you’re represented by the experienced team of personal injury lawyers at The Injury Group