Types of Truck Accident Injuries
Truck accident injuries are similar to car accident injuries; however, due to the huge difference in size between large commercial trucks and smaller cars, there is a greater likelihood of more serious injuries and even death. Unfortunately, passenger vehicles such as cars, SUVs, pickup trucks and even motorcycles typically bear the brunt of the impact and damages incurred in a Florida big rig truck accident.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in a Florida truck accident, you may be eligible to file a claim in order to recover your losses from the accident. You may qualify for compensation for medical bills (past, present and future), lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering and other damages related to your injuries.
To better understand your legal rights, contact truck accident injury lawyer Nick A. Ortiz for a free case evaluation.
Common Truck Accident Injuries
Most truck accident injuries are catastrophic in nature, sometimes resulting in the untimely death of one or more victims. Those who are fortunate to survive a serious truck accident will often suffer long-term injuries that are debilitating, decreasing the quality of life of the victim.
Some of the more common types of truck accident injuries include the following (which is not a complete list):
- Back and Neck Spinal Injuries: The human spine, which includes the neck and back, is comprised of an intricate interplay of muscles, bones and other tissues that begin at the neck and go down the spine to the tailbone. Sprains, strains, spinal fractures, dislocations, and torn, herniated or ruptured discs are all classified as back and neck injuries. More acute back and neck injuries can leave truck accident victims in debilitating pain.
- Broken Bones: Many serious motor vehicle accidents result in some form of bone fracture or broken bone. Due to the weight of the vehicles and the amount of force involved in truck accidents, however, broken bones from these truck accidents are often more severe than those suffered in crashed only involving passenger vehicles.
- Burns: Fires started during an accident or resulting from an accident are the leading cause of burn injuries with truck accident victims. When a passenger car collides with a much larger truck, the car’s fuel tanks can rupture and cause a fuel-fed fire. Treatment of burn injuries is often costly and extensive.
- Head Injuries: Head injuries can range in severity from a mild concussion to a serious or traumatic brain injury (TBI). Unfortunately, head injuries suffered in truck accidents tend to be more severe in nature and can often be fatal.
- Internal Injuries: One of the leading causes of fatalities in truck accidents is blunt trauma to the abdomen that leads to internal bleeding. The most commonly injured organs in this area include the bladder, liver, pancreas, kidneys and spleen.
- Lacerations: The broken glass and shredded metal in truck accidents can cause cuts and lacerations, which can often leave accident victims in agonizing pain. Even after healing, the victim may be left with a scar. Treatment of lacerations deep in the skin can be very expensive and it may take a long time for an injury victim to completely recover from this type of injury.
- Rib and Torso Injuries: Those involved in a truck accident may suffer blunt force trauma, will often result in a rib or torso injury. The rib cage is meant to protect the body’s vital organs, so rib and torso injuries can leave a victim vulnerable to suffering life-threatening injuries. In fact, if left untreated, these types of injuries can be deadly.
- Seat Belt Injuries: Seat belts are intended to keep passengers safe in the event of an accident. Unfortunately, they are often the cause of injury as well. Seat belts can cause neck, back and whiplash injuries.
- Skull Fractures: Severe trauma to the head can cause a skull fracture. When the skull bone cracks or breaks, it leaves the victim’s brain vulnerable to serious injury, including brain damage, contusions, and hematomas.
- Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis: Severe spinal cord injuries are not always immediately apparent to the injured victim. It is important for Florida truck accident victims to seek medical attention as soon as possible after being involved in an accident. An MRI could disclose serious spinal cord injuries that require surgery and other information that a routine X-ray may not be able to pick up. In the most severe cases, the injury victim may lose all movement below the injury site.
- Wrongful Death: Given the size difference between a large truck and the average passenger vehicle, Florida’s truck accidents often result in one ore more fatalities. If you lost a loved one in a truck accident, you may be able to file a wrongful death claim to keep your family afloat financially during this difficult time.
Contact an Experienced Truck Accident Injury Lawyer
Injuries from a truck accident will often result in life-changing effects for all parties involved. For example, severe injuries can keep an injury victim out of work for a long period of time, causing a financial strain on the injured party and his or her family.
Rather than worrying about how you will be able to afford treatment for your truck accident injuries, you should be focused on getting better. Let our experienced truck accident attorney fight to hold the responsible parties accountable for your injuries (or those of a loved one).
At the Ortiz Law Firm, we believe that our judicial court system works best when injury victims have access to an experienced attorney to guide them through the legal process. In order to ensure this, our personal injury law firm handles truck accident claims on a contingency fee basis. This means that if you choose to hire our firm to pursue justice for your injuries, you will not be responsible for paying costs and expenses unless and until we obtain a favorable outcome for your claim.
If you are unsure if you have a valid basis to file an injury claim, contact our firm to schedule an initial, free case evaluation with a member of our legal team. During your free case evaluation, Mr. Ortiz will assess the merits of your claim and offer guidance on how to best pursue legal and financial recourse for your losses. But do not delay in speaking to an attorney. Florida has a strict statute of limitations, and failing to file an injury claim within such time can significantly affect your ability to recover fair compensation.
For more information on the legal rights available to Florida truck accident injury victims and their families – or to schedule a confidential, no-obligation consultation with Mr. Ortiz – please call (888) 321-8131.