What is the most common injury in a truck accident?

Truck accidents present a significant issue when it comes to road safety as they give rise to different challenges and threats compared to cases where smaller vehicles are involved. Back-over accidents often involve commercial trucks – such as tractor-trailers, big rigs, and delivery trucks that can weigh several tons when fully loaded.

Truck accidents occur more frequently than one would imagine. Commercial trucks are often bigger and heavier, which makes them more prone to accidents. When these accidents happen, they tend to be fatal. 

Thousands of fatal truck accidents happen annually in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA, and many more lead to serious injuries. But what is the most common injury in a truck accident?

Common Types of Injuries in Truck Accidents 

Truck accidents may lead to various injuries ranging from mild to life-threatening. These injuries affect not only the occupants of the truck but also those in smaller vehicles that were involved in a collision.

Head and Brain Injuries

According to the Houston car accident attorney, truck accidents also present a big concern because of head and brain injuries, as they can be severe and long-lasting. These are known to be the most severe injuries that occur due to truck accidents. These injuries can happen if the head is struck or the brain experiences rapid acceleration and deceleration within the skull.

Truck accidents often occur with a high risk of head injuries from the forceful impact, even in cases when drivers are wearing seat belts and airbags. The danger is increased when a collision involves an enormous commercial truck due to its great size and impact.

• Concussion: Truck accidents can cause a form of mild TBI known as concussions. They are due to a sudden bump or jar on the head, which causes the brain to sway inside the skull.

Concussions in truck accidents can occur if the head strikes against the steering wheel, dashboard, or window; it may also be a consequence of rapid deceleration without impact.

• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI): Truck accidents as a result of traumatic brain injuries can cause mild to severe consequences for cognitive, emotional and physical functions.

Extreme TBIs can happen when a truck collision causes considerable force or impact on the head, resulting in brain tissue damage. Despite no direct head impact, sudden deceleration of the head may trigger TBIs.

The severity of head and brain injury in truck accidents means that one needs to get immediate medical attention. Alao, with that, it becomes more important to get legal assistance as it is needed at that time.

Back and Spinal Injuries in Truck Accidents

Back and spine injuries are among the most severe and life-changing results of truck accidents. A collision with a truck has such huge force and impact that it can put a lot of pressure on the spine and surrounding structures, resulting in various injuries. 

Back and spinal injuries in truck accidents include two common types: herniated discs and fractures.

• Herniated Disc: The spine consists of vertebrae and intervertebral discs, which are cushions and shock absorbers between the vertebrae. A herniated disc, sometimes called a slipped or ruptured disc, is where the soft inner core of a disk leaks through the tough outer layer. This can lead to the disc pressing against spinal nerves, thereby causing pain and other symptoms.

• Spinal Fractures: Spinal fractures refer to the breaking of either one or more vertebrae in the spine. These fractures can be classified as compression, burst, and flexion-distraction fractures based on the type of injury sustained. The great potential of a truck accident can put the spine under heavy pressure and lead to spinal fractures. These fractures can affect one of several parts of the spine, like the neck, upper back, and lower back.

Neck Injuries

Whiplash and neck injuries are common in truck crashes, primarily because of the quick and sharp force that takes place during collisions. So, let’s delve into the common occurrence of whiplash and neck injuries, their causes, and symptoms:

Among the most common injuries reported in truck crashes are whiplash and neck injuries. The term whiplash is used to describe the rapid back-and-forth motion of the neck akin to cracking a whip and typically is observed in rear-end collisions or abrupt stops. Neck injuries encompass both the cervical spine and the soft tissues around it.

The causes can be sudden deceleration or impact forces, which are the major causes of whiplash and neck injuries in truck accidents. 

When a truck crashes into another car or obstacle, the body is thrown forward at a rapid pace and then thrust backward suddenly. This fast motion puts a tremendous strain on the neck and spine.

Truck accidents happen at any speed, and even slow impacts may lead to whiplash or neck injuries.

When it comes to diagnosis, whiplash and neck injuries are usually diagnosed through a detailed physical examination, medical history review, and imaging studies such as X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs to assess the degree of damage.

Legal Considerations for Truck Accident Victims

There are some legal considerations that people need to focus on regarding truck accidents. One of the very important considerations is to keep their focus on the compensation that they will be getting after the accident is over. 

• The very first step that they need to take is to ask for medical help for the injury that they have sustained. They can do this by calling the ambulance service or by asking someone nearby to contact the medical authorities.

• Then, it is very important to gather all the evidence that is important and can help your case later when it gets into the attorney’s hands. So, the victim should make sure to take pictures of the scene of the accident, the vehicle damage, and the pictures of their injuries. 

• Contacting the law enforcement comes after this. For this, a police report can be very useful. You can make it clear which party did what, and they can see themselves and decide what actually happened. 

• After that, it is very important to connect with a lawyer who can take your case and understand it well enough to fight it for you. Their role is very important as accidents can get very complicated and can never be solved by a single person who has no understanding of legal jargon and even their rights. 

• In some cases, trucking companies do offer liability for accidents. But this is provided in some instances. Also, it must be made sure that the victim contacts their insurance company when they get into an accident. But they must always ask the lawyer to negotiate with the adjuster as the insurance companies can think of their profits only when it comes to such accident cases.                   

Contact Mokaram Law Firm!

It is never easy to deal with cases that involve trucks. Accidents involving the collision of a truck can be tricky to solve. That is why you need to hire the best attorney that is available. Contact Mokaram Law Firm today by dialing (281) 609-9224 to book an appointment.