Collisions between commercial trucks and regular sized vehicles can be serious. One of the main reasons they can cause such serious injuries and damages when these two vehicles collide is the drastic difference in size and weight between the two. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), large trucks are up to 30 times heavier than regular passenger vehicles.
Drivers of semi trucks can suffer injuries when they crash into smaller vehicles, but as the size and weight differences imply, usually the passengers of the regular sized vehicles are the ones who suffer the more severe injuries in the event of an accident. Let’s take a look at how serious the injuries received in a commercial truck accident can be.
Injuries from Large Truck Wrecks
Just like any type of collision between two vehicles, the severity of injuries can vary from mild to severe and can even lead to death in the worst cases. According to the IIHS, when large trucks wreck with regular sized vehicles and cause fatalities, 67 percent of the deaths are the occupants of the passenger vehicles compared to only 16 percent of the deaths being truck drivers and the occupants of the large trucks.
Knowing that these accidents can be so deadly can help you better understand the severity of the injuries that victims can sustain from commercial truck wrecks. Here are some of the most common injuries that are seen in truck accidents, and they range from mild to severe:
- Bruises and lacerations
- Soft tissue injuries
- Burns
- Broken bones
- Internal organ damage
- Internal bleeding
- PTSD
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Paralysis
- Amputations
- Death
Some of these injuries are considered mild, which means that they just need a quick medical examination to diagnose, and their treatment requires basic strategies and could even just need ice. However, others are more severe and can lead to complications for the rest of a victim’s life.
The more serious injures like traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and amputations could upend a truck accident victim’s life, and lead to them having to relearn how to live their lives. These injuries can also change a victim’s life because they are incredibly costly at the time of the harm as well as for the rest of their lives.
For a legal consultation, call 612-349-2729
What Should You Do After a Wreck?
Now that you know what kinds of injuries you could sustain when you’re in a crash with a semi, you should also know what you need to do right a crash. Here are the steps you should take right after an accident with a commercial truck to ensure that you get all the help that you need for your injuries and damages:
- Call Emergency Services. Your first step after getting to safety as best as possible and evaluating yourself for any pain is to call 911 to get emergency medical and police services on the scene. They’ll be able to help you when they arrive.
- Speak to the Police. When the police get there, you’ll want to speak with them so that you can file a police report and give them a statement about what happened.
- Take Pictures of the Scene. In order to gather more proof about what caused the accident and what happened, you can take pictures of the scene. Take pictures of damages, injuries, the road, nearby intersections, any objects, and any other parts of your surroundings that could have impacted your accident.
- Exchange Information. You’ll want to exchange contact information with the other party and get their insurance information in case you need it later. You’ll also want to get the contact information of any witnesses.
- Seek Medical Treatment. This should be your first step if you immediately believe you’re injured. You don’t want to risk further injuring yourself. If you’re not sure if you’re hurt though, you should still seek medical treatment so that a doctor can evaluate you and treat your injuries right away.
- Hire a Lawyer. Finally, you’ll want to hire a truck accident lawyer so that you can get justice for what happened to you and hold the negligent party responsible for what they’ve done.
Madia Newville Will Fight for You
When you’ve been in a collision with a large truck and you weren’t at fault for what happened, you deserve to recover financially from your injuries and any other damages that you incurred. You should be able to focus on healing instead of worrying about a legal claim—that’s where we come in. Our Minneapolis truck accident lawyer will represent you and get you the compensation you deserve.
With our help, you won’t have to stress about the legal process. We’ll answer all your questions, complete a thorough investigation, and calculate exactly what you’re owed. Reach out to us today so we can discuss your legal options.
Call 612-349-2729 or complete a Case Evaluation form
