Common truck accident injuries include broken bones, brain injury, and physical disfigurement. Symptoms can vary based on the type of injury.
A truck accident can be devastating and change a person’s life. Those injured in a truck accident may have legal options to claim compensation.
Our experienced Greenville truck accident lawyer at Bobby Jones Law explains common truck accident injuries and what you need to know.
Why Truck Accidents Cause Severe Injuries
Truck accidents cause severe injuries for several reasons.
Truck size
A typical U.S. semi-truck is about 70 feet long. By comparison, a large passenger vehicle like the Ford F-150 is only 17 to 20 feet long. Large trucks can transfer more energy and strike a passenger vehicle at a devastating angle, compromising the passenger cabin or causing the vehicle to strike an object or another vehicle. These accidents can also result in rollovers.
Truck weight
A semi-truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, with an empty tractor-trailer itself weighing 25,000 pounds. By comparison, an SUV weighs 2,000 to 6,000 pounds. The weight of a truck can create mass and momentum, releasing more energy on impact. The smaller vehicle often absorbs this impact.
Truck design
Because trucks are tall, they tend to strike passenger vehicles high, often on the passenger compartment. Underride accidents may also occur. The truck driver sits higher up in the cab and is often spared the devastating impact.
Cargo
In a truck crash, cargo can become loose, producing dangerous debris. Heavy cargo can make a truck more likely to tip or create crash forces that are unexpected or particularly dangerous.
Common Injuries in Commercial Truck Collisions
Common injuries from truck accidents in Greenville, SC, include:
Brain injuries
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is trauma to the brain that impacts brain function. TBI can vary in severity and can impact cognition, emotions, coordination, and bodily functions. It can also result in a loss of consciousness. Head trauma may include skull fractures and damage to the senses, in addition to the brain injury itself.
Spinal cord damage
The spinal cord relays communication between the brain and the body. Trauma to the spinal cord from a truck accident can result in paralysis, loss of feeling, poor coordination, loss of voluntary control of bodily function, and tingling in the extremities.
Broken bones
Due to the forceful impact of a truck crash, broken bones are common truck accident injuries. A broken bone may require surgery for alignment, where surgeons may use screws or rods to stabilize the bone. A broken bone may require a long period of rest and rehabilitation.
Internal organ trauma
A truck collision can result in blunt trauma to organs or penetration of major organs like the liver, lungs, or kidneys. Organ failure is a serious, life-threatening injury. Significant bleeding, shock, and infection are all risks and may complicate healing.
Soft tissue damage
A car accident can tear ligaments, including those in the knees, neck, and back. The force of impact can tear and destabilize cartilage or tendons. Injuries may be complete or partial. Stretching these body components beyond their natural range of motion can result in pain and loss of function.
Cuts and bruises
Cuts and bruises can be painful and result in lasting disfigurement. There may also be a risk of infection.
Whiplash
The force of a truck crash can cause sudden forward and backwards movement in the upper body, which can damage muscles, nerves, and other soft tissues. Symptoms of whiplash commonly include stiffness, loss of range of motion, and pain.
Disfigurement
Injury from a truck accident may include scars, burns, amputation, fractures, and hair loss. These injuries may permanently change a person’s physical appearance.
Psychological injury
In addition to physical injury, truck accidents can result in psychological trauma. An individual may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, flashbacks, and guilt. Psychological injury can impact work, family relationships, and interpersonal interactions.
Long-Term Impact and Recovery Challenges
An injury from a truck accident can have a long-term impact. A person may experience:
- Loss of independence
- The need for ongoing medical care that is expensive and time-consuming
- Mobility limitations that impair overall health
- Changes in employment and career options
- Inability to care for family members or provide household services
- Differences in interacting with others
- Scars and disfigurement
- Lowered life expectancy
- Pain, anguish, and suffering
Truck accident injuries cause physical, financial, and emotional harm. A victim may claim compensation for both economic and non-economic losses.
Truck Accident Injuries in Greenville, SC
In South Carolina, there were 87 fatalities from collisions involving trucks in 2023. In addition, 101 truck tractors were involved in serious injury collisions.
Primary truck routes in the Greenville, SC, area include Interstate 85 (I-85), US-25 (White Horse Road), US-29 (Wade Hampton Blvd), US-276, SC-153, and I-185.
Proving Negligence in a Truck Accident Case
To receive compensation for injury from a truck accident, you must prove fault. South Carolina uses a fault system with modified comparative negligence. Typically, this means proving that the trucking company is responsible for the crash because of a moving violation or other action that created an unreasonable risk of harm.
You may need to inspect vehicles and perform accident reconstruction to determine the cause of the accident. You can demand records from the trucking company and depose witnesses.
Legal Options for Injured Truck Accident Victims
To receive compensation for truck accident injuries, you need to file a claim. While many cases are settled out of court, you also have the option to take your case to trial. Building a strong claim is crucial to achieving a favorable settlement. You can either negotiate directly with the insurance company or file your case in court. Consulting with a lawyer can provide you with legal advice, explain your options, and represent you in your claim.
Contact an Experienced Greenville Truck Accident Lawyer
If you experience injuries from a truck accident in Greenville, you deserve fair compensation. Contact Bobby Jones Law to speak with an experienced Greenville, SC, truck accident lawyer and get legal representation today.
