Common Injuries in Large Truck Accidents

Well over half of the people injured in large truck accidents nationwide were occupants of vehicles other than the large truck. (See Page 95 of this federal report.) This is largely due to the fact that a commercial truck can be 20 to 30 times heavier than a passenger vehicle and sits higher off the road. These factors also mean that people involved in truck crashes are more likely to suffer catastrophic injuries. Here’s a closer look at some common injuries sustained in large truck accidents.

Why Truck Accidents Often Result in Serious Injuries

Before getting into the specific injuries that large truck accidents often cause, it helps to know some reasons why these crashes tend to cause more harm to drivers and passengers, particularly those in smaller cars. Some factors that make truck accidents more likely to cause catastrophic injuries include:

Significant Size and Weight Difference Between Trucks and Passenger Cars – Large trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded. That’s about 20 to 30 times more than passenger cars, which means trucks hit with much greater force when they collide with smaller cars.
Longer Stopping Distances – Commercial trucks require more time and distance to stop, making it harder to avoid rear-end crashes with other vehicles when suddenly traffic changes.
Higher Ride Height – The elevated position of a truck can cause smaller vehicles to slide under its trailer, known as an underride accident. These incidents often lead to severe or fatal injuries.
Greater Force in Multi-Vehicle Crashes – The momentum of a fully loaded truck can push or crush multiple vehicles in a chain-reaction accident.
High Speeds – Truck drivers are often under tight delivery deadlines, which can encourage them to speed even in dangerous conditions. The faster a truck is moving when a crash happens, the harder it hits, especially given the extreme size disparity between large trucks and passenger cars.

Most Common Injuries in Trucking Accidents

Some common injuries from Georgia truck accidents include:

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) – The impact from a truck crash can cause drivers’ and passengers’ heads to strike a car’s interior or the steering wheel, leading to concussions or more severe brain damage. Rapid head movement during a collision can also cause severe brain injuries.
Spinal Cord Injuries – A strong collision can fracture vertebrae or compress the spinal cord, resulting in partial or complete paralysis. Even incomplete spinal fractures can cause permanent issues with movement, coordination, and muscle strength.
Broken Bones – The crushing force of a truck accident can cause fractures in bones like the arms, legs, ribs, or pelvis.
Internal Injuries – Blunt force trauma from a truck crash can injure organs such as the liver, spleen, or lungs, leading to internal bleeding and other severe effects.
Severe Lacerations – Shattered glass, twisted metal, or debris can cause deep cuts that may lead to significant blood loss or scarring.

Factors That Influence Injury Severity

The size and weight difference between the vehicles involved, the impact speed, and the angle of the collision can all affect the severity of truck accident injuries. For example, head-on crashes often result in catastrophic or fatal injuries due to the combined speed and impact force of both vehicles. By contrast, side-impact collisions are more likely to cause crushing injuries to occupants on the struck side.

Similarly, road and weather conditions can increase the force of a crash or a truck’s instability. Finally, delays in medical treatment for hurt drivers and passengers may further worsen the accident’s outcome.

Legal Considerations After a Truck Accident Injury

One key consideration in truck accident cases is identifying who is liable for your injuries. The potentially liable parties in these cases include:

Careless, drowsy, or intoxicated truck drivers
Truck companies that skip required inspections or hire unqualified drivers
Maintenance companies that don’t make proper repairs or do sloppy work
Cargo loaders who don’t make sure a truck’s payload is secure
Government agencies responsible for road maintenance

While it’s vital to investigate all the potentially liable parties in your case, you must also document your injuries if you want to recover full compensation. See a doctor right away and tell them about all your symptoms. As you heal, keep track of your lost income, medical expenses, and how your injuries impact your life. It’s also smart to make copies of your medical records so you have proof of your injuries. A truck accident lawyer can use these records to link your injuries to the collision.

Finally, it’s crucial to seek legal help immediately after a collision. Truck accidents involve countless federal and state regulations, and you need someone who understands the system to identify who’s liable for your injuries. You might also be dealing with multiple liable parties and insurance policies, which can be overwhelming without proper support.

Compensation You May Be Entitled To

Your compensation in a truck accident claim could include money for:

Current and future medical expenses
Lost income and reduced future earnings
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Vehicle repair and replacement costs

When to Seek Legal Help After a Truck Accident

It’s best to contact a truck accident lawyer immediately after a crash. Crucial evidence can fade quickly, and your lawyer can return to the scene and preserve it. Your lawyer can also start documenting your lost income, medical expenses, and other losses to maximize your claim’s value. As you heal, your attorney can begin building your case so you don’t encounter any issues with the two-year deadline for truck accident lawsuits. (See Section 9-3-33 of the Georgia Code.)

Attorney Scott Pryor and his colleagues have decades of experience fighting for Georgia’s injured. As a former U.S. Marine, Attorney Pryor understands the importance of service and dedication, and he brings those attributes to every case. We’ve received multiple awards for our service, including the prestigious Litigator Award, which honors us as one of the top 1 percent of trial lawyers nationwide.

Trust The Scott Pryor Law Group to defend your rights when it matters. Call now or complete our contact form for a free case review, and pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.

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Scott Pryor

Managing Attorney | CEO

Scott is a U.S. Marine Veteran. He is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and is listed in the top 1% of trial attorneys in the nation by the Litigator Awards. He is also a member of Super Lawyers, National Trial Lawyers, the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association—Champion Level and sits on the Communications Committee of GTLA and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.