While passenger cars also cause injuries and deaths after a collision, truck accidents are more likely to result in more fatalities and severe injuries due to their extensive size. A vast truck typically weighs up to thousands of pounds; hence, it’s likely to cause a huge impact after an accident.
This means that people involved in truck accidents are prone to severe injuries that could interfere with their daily lives. Among these injuries include:
1. Head and Brain Injuries
The number one on the list of the most common injuries from truck accidents is head and brain injury. Suppose you collided with a truck and got injured. Your head is among the most vulnerable parts of your body that may receive a heavy blow. Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can occur when the head is subjected to intense pressure.
Unfortunately, slight damage to the brain might be invisible on X-rays and other imaging solutions, such as CT scans. Therefore, the victim must undergo special imaging tests to determine if they've suffered TBI.
While TBI symptoms might vary from person to person, the most common ones include memory issues, headaches, mood changes, difficulty concentrating, and lack of sleep. Though TBIs are invisible to human eyes, they're serious and can interfere with someone's life or cause death.
2. Burns
Burns are also common injuries following a truck accident. Due to the truck's size, it will experience severe damage after a heavy impact compared to passenger cars. When this happens, the truck's exterior and interior parts, including the fuel tank, can rupture and cause a fire breakout.
Unfortunately, the fire from a truck accident has no limit and can spread fast, potentially resulting in severe property and bodily damage and deaths. Truck fire injuries are categorized into four:
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First-Degree Burns: These burns occur on the outer skin and are unlikely to leave permanent scars.
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Second-Degree Burns: These burns access the inner skin and are likely to cause infections.
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Third-Degree Burns: They penetrate the dermis and cause permanent scars.
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Fourth-Degree Burns: They extend through to the muscles and bones and might warrant amputation leading to functional impairment.
Truck accident fires can cause permanent disfigurement that could lead to disability or wrongful death. With the help of a qualified truck accident lawyer, a victim can file a claim and get compensated for their medical and lost wages bills.
3. Broken Bones
A motor accident, especially involving a truck, is a high-impact incident. Most people directly involved in such accidents are likely to sustain broken bones.
The human body consists of hundreds of bones. If these bones experience a heavy blow, they can fracture and get severely damaged. Some types of broken bones include:
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Impacted: Occurs after bone fragments are forced toward each other
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Spiral: Refers to twisted bones
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Comminuted: Refers to bones that have shattered into several pieces
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Complete: Bones that have broken severely
Broken bones can be severe, depending on the type. These injuries can interfere with your routine and require prolonged bed rest. While some broken bones improve with time, others require rehabilitation. It's, therefore, vital to seek professional treatment to ensure your broken bones heal properly and don’t cause other medical issues.
4. Spinal Injuries
Besides head and brain injuries, spinal is another severe injury one can sustain after a truck accident. Spinal injuries occur when the spinal cord has experienced a heavy blow and sustained extensive damage. Potentially causing permanent or partial paralysis, these injuries deter communication between the brain and the body.
When the spinal cord is damaged, it can be compared to a break or blockage in a water pipe that disrupts the normal flow of water. The spinal cord acts as a pathway for nerve impulses between the brain and the rest of the body, and damage to this pathway can interfere with the transmission of these signals.
5. Internal Injuries
Truck accident victims can suffer internal injuries. For example, you can sustain spleen, bladder, kidneys, liver, or pancreas injuries. Torso and rib injuries are also among the most common internal injuries. While these injuries aren't considered internal, force directed at them can cause severe internal injuries, primarily since they're located near vital organs. A broken rib, for example, could damage a lung or cause other internal damage.
Conclusion
Truck accidents are catastrophic and could result in severe damage. Unfortunately, since some injuries don't show immediately after the accident, some people may experience internal damage and bleeding shortly or later in life. It's, therefore, crucial for truck accident survivors to seek medical help immediately to determine the sustained injuries.
