by When an accident occurs on the road, those involved can sustain a wide range of injuries. If a truck accident takes place, however, the risk of serious or life-changing injuries increases. This is because the large size and weight of the vehicle can cause a significant amount of damage when it collides with other road users or pedestrians.
Although lawyers for truck accidents can help you to obtain compensation after this type of incident, the amount of compensation you ultimately receive will depend in part on the nature of your injuries. To learn more about the consequences of truck-related collisions, take a look at some of the most common injuries drivers sustain in truck accidents:
1. Head and Neck Injuries
Even if you’re wearing a seatbelt, your head and neck can still move freely if an impact occurs. This means that it’s this area of your body that can take the brunt of a collision. It’s common for people to sustain relatively mild head and neck injuries, such as whiplash or a concussion, after a road traffic accident, for example. However, more serious injuries can occur too. If a high-speed collision occurs or a truck overturns, for example, the driver could sustain a brain injury, skull fracture or even a broken neck.
2. Internal Injuries
When a truck collides with another vehicle or a stationary object, the impact causes it to come to a sudden stop. Although the truck stops moving, the momentum can mean that any cargo, including the driver, continues to move. While your seatbelt and the vehicle’s other safety features may mitigate some of this movement, it’s still possible to sustain serious injuries because of it.
If you’re thrown forward as the truck grinds to a halt, for example, the impact of your body hitting the steering wheel, or the dash could lead to internal injuries. Alternatively, if the chassis of the cab is damaged, the impact could also cause harm to the driver and the passenger, leading to crushing injuries and/or internal bleeding.
3. Broken Bones
Although modern vehicles are fitted with a wide array of safety features, this doesn’t always prevent people from sustaining broken bones when accidents occur. When larger vehicles such as trucks are involved, the extra weight increases the severity of the impact, which makes broken bones and fractures more likely to occur. If the impact causes the front of vehicle to crumple, for example, the driver could sustain broken bones in the leg, ankle or foot.
Seeking Legal Help After a Truck Accident
Head and neck injuries, broken bones and internal injuries might be common consequences of a truck accident but there are many other types of injuries that people can experience, including spinal damage, burns and even the loss of limbs.
While legal action can’t reverse the injuries you’ve suffered, making a claim can ensure that you receive financial compensation. Whether your injuries will prevent you from returning to work temporarily or whether they’ll have a permanent affect on your future, getting the compensation you deserve and ensuring that someone is held accountable is an important step in overcoming the trauma that’s often associated with truck accidents.
