The Most Common Injuries from Truck Accidents

Posted by Gregory M. Rada | September 29, 2022 | Firm News

Truck Accident Lawyer

Truck accidents can cause some of the most serious injuries anyone can suffer in an accident. The sheer size and weight of a truck means that if one crashes into you, it’s going to do a lot more damage than if you get hit by a car or small vehicle. When someone else’s truck causes your injury in a Virginia truck accident they are at fault and should be held accountable by the law to pay compensation to you for your medical bills, your pain and suffering, and other related costs. Unfortunately, they might try to avoid paying damages, so it’s important to have legal help in this situation. Here are some of the most common injuries from a truck accident according to our friends at Cohen & Cohen.

Head and Neck

Most truck accidents lead to the head and neck being involved. There are a variety of possible injuries for these areas such as whiplash, fractured vertebrae, spinal cord injury, brain injury, herniated discs, and more. Depending on how serious your head or neck injuries are, they can lead to long-term issues with activities like walking or turning your head. However, most recovery is feasible as long as it’s handled appropriately and healing is monitored closely.

Back, Ribs, and Spine

Truck accidents often result in the victims’ backs, ribs, and spine being injured. The severity of these injuries will depend on the force and speed of the impact, as well as how much body mass was involved in the collision. As a general rule, people that have more body mass than a vehicle are more likely to suffer back injuries. Back injuries often lead to radiating pain or numbing in the arms and hands. Ribs can also be bruised or broken following an accident.

Ankle, Foot, and Leg

It’s no secret that being struck by a truck can be traumatic for victims. One minute you’re walking your dog and the next you’re in a cast and on crutches. The severity of an injury is dependent on the speed, size, weight, height, or force at which the victim was hit by the truck. For example, if the victim was not only hit but also dragged alongside the vehicle, they are likely to suffer more severe injuries than someone who merely walked into traffic. Leg injuries typically involve broken bones and fractures due to the sheer force at which these collisions occur. Victims with leg injuries may require surgery if their bone has been shattered or their tendons are torn apart from one another. Ankle fractures are often accompanied by dislocated ankles as well as potential damage to ligaments. There may also be contusions (bruising) where blood vessels have burst under the skin near joints such as knees and ankles.

Shoulder, Arm, and Hand

One of the most common types of injuries experienced by people involved in truck accidents is an injury to the shoulder, arm, and hand. This type of injury can happen when an individual is forced to break a fall because they lost their balance while standing on a sidewalk or driveway. This causes their upper arm to absorb all the impact, which causes muscle and tendon strains in the biceps and shoulder joints as well as in the elbow area.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Truck accidents are often fatal in nature, but even those that are not can produce spinal cord injuries. Some of the most common spinal cord injuries from truck accidents include paraplegia, quadriplegia, and loss of sensation or movement below the area of injury. All types of vehicle accidents can produce these types of injuries, but truck crashes are particularly bad for this because of the way they happen.

If you experience an injury as a result of a truck accident, contact a lawyer for help.