Every day, U.S. roads are filled with commercial trucks delivering goods. While these vehicles are critical to the country's infrastructure, they also present a threat to other drivers on the roads. Truck accident injuries are often much more serious than other types of car accident injuries, which makes truck accidents potentially devastating.
What should you do if you are injured in a truck accident? If you want to protect your health and your finances, contact a semi-truck accident law firm right away. But even before you contact a lawyer, this information can help if you or a loved one suffers truck accident injuries.
The Unique Dangers of Truck Accidents
Why is a commercial truck accident more dangerous than accidents between passenger vehicles? The main reason is that semi-trucks are significantly larger and heavier than cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks.
The average passenger vehicle weighs roughly two tons. Even without a trailer, a semi-truck weighs close to 15 tons. A fully loaded commercial vehicle can weigh as much as 40 tons.
Often, this difference in vehicle sizes results in severe injuries for the passenger car driver. A truck is more likely to rip apart a passenger vehicle, overpowering most of the safety features of the car.
Furthermore, trucks are more difficult to maneuver than cars and have larger blind spots. This is why truck drivers require significantly more training to get a commercial driver’s license than is required for a standard license.
Despite this extra training, commercial trucks are hard to control, especially when drivers negligently violate rules about maximum driving hours.
Physical Injuries in Truck Accidents
Truck accident injuries aren’t necessarily significantly different in type from car accident injuries. Instead, they tend to be more severe. This means that truck accident injuries will typically require much more medical treatment to recover from and are more likely to result in lifelong consequences.
The following are some of the more devastating results of truck accidents:
Death
Unfortunately, fatal crashes are significantly more likely when a truck is involved than when it isn’t. If a loved one has died in a truck accident, contact a wrongful death attorney immediately.
Many truck accidents result from negligence on the truck driver's part. If that was the case in your loved one's accident, you can pursue justice by seeking compensation for your loss. A wrongful death attorney will investigate the accident and determine who was likely at fault.
Broken Bones
Thankfully, not all truck accidents are fatal. But even when they aren’t fatal, the injuries are usually more severe than normal.
Broken bones are one of the more serious examples. In a normal car accident, people commonly break bones, usually due to impact with a solid object. However, in more destructive crashes, bones can be shattered or crushed when the car crumples.
These types of truck accident injuries require multiple surgeries to recover from and may leave you permanently disabled.
Back and Neck Injuries
Minor car crashes can cause whiplash and similar injuries. This damage to the back or spine is usually painful but heals after a few weeks or months. However, the massive size of a truck can magnify back and neck injuries.
In a truck accident, safety features like seat belts and airbags may not be enough to protect you. This means that instead of whiplash, you could be thrown out of the car and strike a solid object. That does significantly more damage to your spine and can easily result in partial or complete paralysis.
Head Injuries
In minor crashes between passenger cars, airbags and seat belts usually prevent major head injuries. But when these safety features fail due to the massive force of a truck collision, you could strike your head against a solid object at speeds roughly equivalent to how fast you were going when the accident occurred.
A severe head injury can change your entire life, making it impossible for you to work or care for your loved ones.
FAQ
Should I Go to the Emergency Room if I Am Hurt in a Truck Accident?
Yes. Your top priority after a truck accident should be your health. Even if you think that you got lucky and avoided serious injury, it’s better to be certain by visiting an experienced doctor.
Many types of injuries, like injuries to the spinal cord, aren’t apparent at first. But a doctor may be able to identify what you can’t. If you refuse medical treatment, the insurance company might refuse you compensation.
How Much Will a Rhode Island Personal Injury Lawyer Cost Me?
Personal injury attorneys in Rhode Island typically take cases on contingency. This means they charge you a percentage of the money that they obtain for you as their fee. It also means that if they aren’t able to get you any money, you won’t spend anything on your attorney.
Can I Get Money for Lost Income After a Truck Accident Injury?
Yes. If your injury prevents you from working, you can seek compensation for any lost wages. Since truck accidents can result in permanent disability, you may be eligible to receive compensation for a lifetime of lost work.
A skilled truck accident attorney knows how to determine how much money you would likely have earned during your lifetime and will fight to keep your future financially secure.
Contact the Truck Accident Lawyers at Sands Law Immediately
Truck accidents are devastating to everyone involved. Even when they aren’t fatal, they often cause a lifetime of pain and suffering. If you have suffered a serious truck accident injury, don’t wait to speak to a lawyer. Contact our law offices today to schedule a free consultation with an attorney who cares.
Conclusion
Recover more compensation. Save time. Worry less. Leave it to the experts at Sands Law to help you. It’s what we’re here for.
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