Common Injuries In Trucking Collisions
Since 2011, the rate of large truck crashes has increased by about 33 percent, according to the National Safety Council (NSC). In 2020, nearly 5,000 people were killed in large truck wrecks, and a majority of those people were occupants of passenger vehicles like cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs. Since 2016, each year there have been more than 100,000 semi-trucks and 18-wheelers involved in injury crashes, with a particularly high rate of injury-involved large trucks in 2019. When large trucks are in collisions with smaller vehicles, the occupants of the smaller vehicle often sustain serious or fatal injuries. The Insurance Information for Highway Safety (IIHS) explains that the reason these crashes are so serious is because of the size and weight of semi-trucks. These large trucks usually weigh about 20 or 30 times as much as a passenger car. As such, passenger cars are frequently crushed in these collisions.
What types of injuries are most common in trucking collisions in Shreveport and elsewhere in Louisiana? The following are common types of catastrophic injuries for which a plaintiff or a surviving family member may be able to obtain compensation.
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are injuries to a person’s brain that affect the function of the brain. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), TBIs usually result from a bump, blow, or a jolt to the head. With more severe TBIs, they can result from penetrating injuries. In truck crashes, both mild TBIs caused by a jolt to the head can occur, as can moderate or severe TBIs resulting from penetrating glass or vehicle parts that act like shrapnel in a trucking collision.
Traumatic Amputations
The loss of any limb or other body part can occur due to severe laceration or crush injuries in a trucking crash.
Spinal Cord Injuries (SCIs)
The Mayo Clinic explains that a spinal injury is one that includes “damage to any part of the spinal cord or nerves at the end of the spinal canal.” These injuries often result in permanent disability, including paralysis. Motor vehicle collisions, including trucking crashes, are leading causes of SCIs.
Beyond spinal cord injuries, less severe trucking collisions may also result in whiplash and other back or neck injuries. What is whiplash? According to the Mayo Clinic, it is “a neck injury due to forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck, like the cracking of a whip.” As the Mayo Clinic underscores, this type of injury occurs most often in rear-end motor vehicle crashes, including trucking collisions.
Fractures, or Broken Bones
Broken bones, or fractures, can range widely in terms of severity. The most severe bone breaks in a trucking crash can require emergency surgery and may leave injury victims with permanent disabilities.
Contact a Shreveport Trucking Collision Lawyer
Were you recently injured in a large truck crash? Whether you were harmed in a collision, or you recently lost a loved one in a deadly trucking wreck, you should find out more about your options for filing a claim. Trucking collision cases can be complicated, and it is important to work with an experienced Shreveport trucking injury lawyer to determine the value of your losses based on the type and severity of your injuries. Do not hesitate to get in touch with the attorneys at Rice & Kendig, LLC for assistance. We routinely represent clients in Louisiana truck collision claims.
Sources:
injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/road-users/large-trucks/
iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/large-trucks
cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/get_the_facts.html
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/whiplash/symptoms-causes/syc-20378921
