Common Injuries Caused by Truck Accidents

A commercial truck accident is often much more devastating than a traffic collision with a passenger vehicle.

The massive size and force behind a truck accident often causes victims who survive this type of accident to suffer from a wide variety of injuries.

The dedicated Milwaukee truck accident attorneys at PKSD have represented many victims of truck accidents and have seen firsthand the damage that a commercial truck can cause. Below, we provide a list of the most common injuries caused by truck accidents that we have witnessed through our experience. Contact our team today to learn more about filing a claim for compensation.

Spinal Cord Injury

The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves responsible for carrying messages between the brain and the rest of the body. A collision with a commercial truck can easily damage this fragile, but essential part of your body.

An acute spinal cord injury is a traumatic injury that occurs when the spine is bruised or torn. This damage can result in debilitating medical conditions, such as:

• Quadriplegia: The loss of movement and sensation in all of your arms and legs.
• Paraplegia: The loss of movement and sensation in the lower half of your body.
• Triplegia: The loss of movement and sensation in one arm and both legs.

Fractures and Lacerations

The force behind a truck collision is very powerful and can cause severe damage to your body, resulting in broken bones. The most frequent location of bone fractures truck accident victims suffer include to the:

A broken bone can have a significant impact on your life and may affect your ability to work or perform regular activities you once enjoyed.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a type of brain injury caused by a sudden or sharp impact to the head that damages the brain. There are two common types of TBIs that can result from a truck accident:

• Open head injury: This occurs when an object penetrates the skull and enters the brain and causes damage to specific parts of the brain.
• Closed head injuries: These injuries often result from a strong blow to the head, or when it collides with another object.

The result of a TBI is most often devastating and can completely change a victim’s personality, identity and ability to function independently. There are three levels of TBI that a victim can suffer:

• Mild: loss of consciousness, confusion or disorientation that lasts less than 30 minutes, usually resulting in a concussion.
• Moderate: Loss of consciousness, confusion or disorientation that lasts for 20 minutes to six hours.
• Severe: loss of consciousness, confusion or disorientation that lasts for more than six hours and results in permanent impairment.

A person suffering from a TBI may have difficulties with:

Whiplash

Whiplash is a common injury reported by truck accident victims, particularly by those involved in a rear-end collision.

It is a painful condition that occurs when the head is forced forward and snaps backward or sideways. This causes tension within the muscles, discs and ligaments in the back and neck, resulting in severe soft tissue damage.

Truck accident victims who suffer whiplash may experience:

It is not always apparent when a truck accident victim has suffered whiplash, as the condition might appear hours or days after the collision. For this reason, you should always seek medical attention immediately after a truck accident.

Internal Injuries

The strong impact that occurs during a truck accident can severely damage your body’s internal organs, including the:

The effects of these injuries may not always be immediately apparent after a truck accident. However, they are usually life threatening and can be identified by severe pain and inability to perform normal functions, like breathing.

Crush Injury

Crush injuries are caused by the pressure the victim’s body endures during a collision with a commercial truck. These injuries can lead to severe health issues, such as:

Contact an Attorney in Milwaukee

A truck accident is a serious traumatic event that can result in devastating injuries for the victims involved. If you or someone you love has been injured in a truck accident, do not hesitate to contact us for a free, no obligation consultation.

At PKSD, our team of experienced personal injury attorneys in Milwaukee never charge clients upfront for legal services. Instead, we work on a contingency fee basis and will only require payment if we recover compensation for your claim.

Call 414-333-3333 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation.