In a recent year, the National Safety Council reported that over 161,000 people suffered injuries in accidents involving commercial trucks. In many cases, these accidents leave victims with severe injuries that change their lives forever.
You or a loved one may have suffered a catastrophic injury in the truck accident that can entitle you to financial compensation when you can prove that someone else was to blame for what happened. Your first step in recovering this compensation is to contact an experienced truck accident attorney to review your case during a free initial consultation.
Why Truck Accident Injuries Tend to Be Serious
Trucks are extremely massive vehicles. Federal regulations allow trucks to weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded. Tractor-trailers are also about 70 feet long, making it difficult for a truck driver to see out of their various blindspots.
When a truck accident happens, the forces involved are immense, and injuries are likely. Because of the disparity in size between the truck and your car, these injuries may even be serious. While any type of car accident is an extremely consequential matter, truck accidents tend to result in more catastrophic injuries and even death.
Common Injuries in a Truck Accident
Some of the common injuries that you may suffer in a truck accident include:
- Broken bones and fractures: The impact of the truck crash, or the moment at which your body makes contact with a hard surface in the car, can cause serious bone breaks that may even require surgery.
- Traumatic brain injuries: Impact to your head, or the sudden and jarring motion of your brain inside your skull, can cause a permanent brain injury that can take away much of your functioning and affect your daily life.
- Spinal cord injuries: Broken vertebrae in your back or a blow to the head can damage your spinal cord, costing you movement in certain parts of your body.
- Internal injuries: The force and impact of the crash can cause injuries beneath the surface of your body, such as internal bleeding or a collapsed lung.
- Cuts and lacerations: Debris from the accident or contact with a sharp edge in your vehicle can result in cuts and lacerations. Blood loss can lead to serious consequences, and you may suffer permanent scarring.
- Back injuries: the sudden and unnatural motion that your body makes can cause serious back injuries, such as spinal stenosis or herniated discs.
- Burns: There may have been a fire involved in the accident, or hot liquids may have been released that can cause serious burn injuries to your skin.
Physical Injuries Can Have Dramatic Consequences in Your Life
Your physical injuries may lead to months or even years of recovery. There will be doctor’s appointments and medical procedures. If your injuries are serious enough, you may never be the same again because of what happened when the truck driver made a mistake at a moment in time or the trucking company cut corners.
In addition to your physical injuries, you may have also suffered other consequences because of the truck accident. Physical injuries are often accompanied by various other effects on your life and emotions. For example, your truck accident injuries are usually accompanied by physical and emotional pain and suffering. These are damages that can consist of physical pain or mental health effects, such as anxiety and depression. You may be suffering from emotional distress and post-traumatic stress disorder from both the impact of the accident and the aftermath. Damages can be recovered in a truck accident case when someone else is to blame for your injuries. Given the severity of your injuries, you may be entitled to a substantial amount of money.
You Could Receive Financial Compensation for Your Truck Accident Injuries
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in a truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation if you can prove that the trucking company (or another third party) was to blame for the accident. The trucking company should have a large insurance policy, required by federal law, to pay for the full extent of your damages. If the insurance coverage is enough to pay for the damages, you can even go after the trucking company’s assets. There have been numerous cases when a trucking company was put out of business entirely as a result of a nuclear verdict that was issued by the jury.
You Need a Truck Accident Lawyer for Your Case
Besides seeing a doctor to get immediate treatment for your injuries and following up with your medical care, you should get help from an experienced lawyer. There is always quite a bit on the line in any truck accident case. Most of all, your financial future is at stake. A truck accident attorney can review your medical records and work with expert witnesses to learn the value of your case. Then, they will file a claim or lawsuit on your behalf.
Your lawsuit can lead to a settlement agreement if you are able to prove that the trucking company was to blame for the accident. It is vital that you not delay contacting a truck accident lawyer, as any delay can hurt your chances of getting the compensation you deserve.
Before discussing compensation, you must show that the trucking driver or trucking company was to blame for the accident. Your truck accident attorney will gather the evidence necessary to prove fault in the accident. Then, they will draft a claim or lawsuit on your behalf, stating your case for compensation and describing the damages that you have suffered. Your attorney will negotiate compensation with the insurance company, or they can seek to persuade a jury to award you damages. There is never any fee upfront to hire a truck accident attorney.
Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer Today
If you have suffered injuries in a truck accident, it is in your best interest to contact a lawyer immediately. An attorney will review your case, let you know if you have a claim, and protect your rights along every step of your journey to recover compensation. Schedule a free case evaluation with a reputable personal injury law firm in McLean, VA as soon as you can.