Anyone who spends any time on Mississippi’s highways knows that they are filled with trucks. Whatever you call them—big rigs, long-haulers, eighteen wheelers—they are large, moving fast, and, unfortunately, prone to devastating accidents. Unfortunately, I frequently meet clients who have been injured or had a loved one killed in an accident with one of these trucks. I am often asked what sort of injuries result from these accidents. The answer is that injuries range considerably, from cuts and scratches to death. That said, I created the following blog post to describe the most common injuries I see.
If you have been injured in a trucking accident, you will need to have experienced counsel help you attain your fair share of compensation for your loss of income and injury. Barrett Law has the experience to help you if you have been injured. Contact us now at (800) 707-9577.
Head Injuries
Head injuries are both the most common and the most misunderstood truck accident injuries. Because there is no blood or broken bone involved, people often treat concussions lightly and do not think of them as particularly severe. We now know, however, that concussions and other brain trauma have far-reaching, devastating effects on a person. But concussions are only one type of head injuries. Bleeding on the brain, nerve damage, and traumatic brain injuries can all be life-altering. Even if you do not feel that your head was injured in a crash, I advise seeking a medical professional’s assessment immediately after the accident to attain a professional assessment, and baseline data in case problems develop later.
Neck and Spine Injuries
A big rig weighs 70,000 to 80,000 pounds, while an average car weighs about 4,000. That difference in weight can mean incredible force on a car passenger’s body in an accident with a truck. That trauma and force often wreak havoc on the passenger’s neck and spine.
The neck and spine are a series of vertebrae, bones stacked from the buttocks to the bottom of the skull. Inside the vertebrae is the spinal cord, a thread-like nerve that communicates messages between the brain and the nervous system. The vertebrae are held in place by muscles and ligaments that keep the “stack” of vertebrae in line.
Injuries to the spine can vary greatly in severity but are almost always debilitating for a period. Even minor injuries such as whiplash and strains to the back’s ligaments can mean soreness, loss of sleep, and missed work. More serious injuries, such as cracked or crushed vertebrae can mean years of recovery and even permanent disability. Severing the spinal cord can result in paralysis and death.
Broken Bones
The force generated by a tractor-trailer accident often results in broken bones. Breaks can be minor, such as simple breaks in the fingers, nose, or other extremities, or significant, such as skull fractures, broken bones in the back, or bones that are crushed to the point that they cannot heal with time. Compound fractures that break the skin are common and particularly dangerous, as they can result in dangerous bleeding and, later, infection.
Lacerations
Because of the force of a truck hitting your car, there is often broken glass and metal being quickly compressed around the car’s passengers. Those sharp metal or glass pieces can cause significant injury. Lacerations are all varieties of cuts, from minor scrapes or abrasions requiring only a bandage, to large lacerations requiring stitches, to life threatening injuries that sometimes require plastic surgery to repair.
What Should You Do If You or a Loved One Has Been Injured in a Trucking Accident?
If you or a loved one was injured in a truck accident, you might have a claim for compensation for your injuries, loss of work, and other losses. Let experienced counsel take care of preserving medical records, attaining expert diagnoses, and dealing with your employer’s attorneys. These are important tasks that a personal injury attorney can handle for you while you concentrate on healing.
Call Barrett Law now, an experienced Mississippi personal injury law firm, to represent you if you have suffered a truck-related injury. Contact us now at (800) 707-9577.
