When commercial trucks collide with much smaller passenger cars, those in the smaller vehicle can be affected by life-changing injuries. This can include anything from broken bones to traumatic brain injuries or even paralysis.
If you’ve been involved in a crash, you should know the common truck accident injuries in Spartanburg and your options for recovering compensation. An experienced tractor-trailer collision attorney at Holland & Usry can explain your options during a free* case review. Call now to schedule yours.
The complications from any motor vehicle accident can be severe. However, for a variety of reasons, common injuries from truck accidents in Spartanburg are more likely to be life-changing compared to other crashes.
Commercial vehicles are much larger than passenger cars. In some cases, they might be 20 times heavier than the vehicles they collide with. This size differential can result in a devastating impact and cause serious injuries, such as:
The height of these trucks can also be dangerous. Because trucks are taller than typical passenger cars, the truck’s front bumper often collides with the less-reinforced parts of a smaller vehicle during a crash. The size difference is also more likely to cause a driver to lose control, flip, or roll.
An attorney can work to hold careless truck drivers accountable when they cause accidents resulting in serious injuries.
Any part of the human body can absorb the impact of a truck crash, which means a wide range of serious injuries can occur. In Spartanburg, some of the most common truck accident injuries include broken bones, spinal injuries, burns, internal bleeding, and traumatic brain injuries.
Bone breaks and fractures are particularly common in semi-truck wrecks. In some cases, they can heal on their own, but complex fractures might require surgery or extended medical care. Breaks commonly impact wrists, forearms, legs, hips, and ankles.
Massive semi-trailer accidents can cause broken vertebrae, which are dangerous fractures to the backbone that can threaten even worse damage to the spine. Some victims sustain severe damage to the delicate parts of the spine, leading to herniated spinal discs that cause radiculopathy, which might require a spinal fusion or decompression to fix. Tractor-trailer crash victims can also suffer even worse damage, where the spinal cord is severed, causing paralysis.
Burns can happen any time a truck crash results in a fire or explosion. Hot or caustic liquid being transported can also cause burns if it contacts skin. Burn severity can vary from relatively minor to life-threatening.
Some injuries can be potentially life-threatening, even when there are no outward signs of trauma. Internal bleeding is one of the most common examples of this. A sudden impact to the torso can damage organs, causing dangerous bleeding within the body that might not be detected right away. These conditions are a prime reason why it’s important to see a doctor after a collision with an 18-wheeler.
Traumatic brain injuries usually occur due to a violent blow to the head, and they are one of the most serious conditions that can happen during a truck accident. They often require medical care, and their resulting symptoms can be both late-developing and unusual. Issues such as sleep disruption, chronic headaches, or even personality changes can emerge weeks or months after the crash.
If you’re injured in a commercial vehicle crash, it’s vital to seek medical care immediately. In addition to protecting your health, you should also be aware of your legal rights. When an accident occurs through no fault of your own, you could be entitled to financial compensation.
Any of the common truck accident injuries in Spartanburg can lead to a valid personal injury claim for compensation. Call Holland & Usry as soon as possible to discuss your legal rights and options during a free* case review.