Common Injuries Associated With Truck Accidents

Because commercial trucks are so much heavier and larger than standard vehicles--up to 20x times heavier than most cars--victims involved in truck accidents can sustain especially devastating injuries. Tragically, many of these injuries can be deadly, and those that are not can require long-term medical care and rehabilitation.

Unfortunately, there are numerous ways in which a person can be injured in an accident involving a large truck. There are some injuries that are especially common in these types of collisions, including:

• Traumatic brain injuries: While many head injuries may heal within a matter of days, others can leave victims permanently disabled. Symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, ringing in the ears, confusion, and nausea are common indicators of brain trauma.
• Abdominal injuries: The powerful collisions that are involved in truck accidents make it more likely that victims will sustain blunt force trauma to their internal organs, such as the liver, kidneys, bladder, spleen, and pancreas. Damaged ribs are also common in instances where a person has sustained internal damage, as the ribcage protects vital organs. These injuries are difficult to treat and, sadly, often result in death.
• Spinal cord injuries: Damaged spinal cords can cause weakness, numbness, or even paralysis in certain areas of the body. Symptoms of spinal cord injuries include headaches, difficulty breathing or moving, loss of sensation, neck or shoulder pain, and bladder and bowel control problems.
• Broken bones: Comminuted fractures are especially common in truck accidents, due to the great force of the impact. These types of breaks mean the bone is broken into more than two pieces or is completely crushed.
• Whiplash: When a vehicle comes to an abrupt stop, it can cause a passenger’s neck to snap forward and then back. This can cause damage to the ligaments and muscles in the neck, resulting in extreme pain and difficulty with mobility.
• Burns: Because commercial trucks often transport toxic substances, collisions are more likely to result in severe burns for all passengers and drivers involved. Burns can range from first degree burns, which only affect the top layer of the skin, to third degree burns, which damage every layer of skin as well as the nerves and muscle underneath. Burns can cause excruciating pain and permanent scarring.

Victims who have been injured in an accident involving a commercial truck are not without recourse. Commercial truck drivers are required to adhere to federal and state regulations, and a failure to do so constitutes negligence. If a driver negligently causes a collision, he or she can be held liable for the cost of resulting injuries, which can include medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and the loss of future income. The trucking company may also be held responsible if the truck was improperly maintained or the driver was not trained. If the cause of the accident was related to a manufacturing or design defect in one of the truck’s parts, the manufacturer may also be held liable.

If you have been injured in an accident involving a large truck, please contact the dedicated San Jose personal injury attorneys at Corsiglia, McMahon & Allard, L.L.P. for a free consultation.

• 49 CFR Parts 300-399