Snellings Law PLLC Attorneys are Personal Injury Trial Lawyers
18-Wheeler Wrecks & Injury Lawyers
18-Wheeler Wrecks And Injuries
Is it just me, or do you tend to grab the steering wheel a little tighter, sit up straighter, get a little nervous when you end up driving directly beside an 18-wheeler? I never like looking in my rearview mirror and seeing one of those behind me either – especially if it feels a little too close. Why do we feel that way next to an 18-wheeler but fail to notice the Mazda Miata driving next to us? While we may all explain it differently – we realize that getting hit by something as large as an 18-wheeler wrecks and injuries can be WAY worse than being struck by a much smaller vehicle.
18-wheeler wrecks are some of the most dangerous and deadly crashes in which a person can be involved. These massive trucks can destroy your property, cause severe personal injury, and even death. Survivors often also suffer severe psychological injuries. Being involved in an 18-wheeler crash is scary and can be completely overwhelming. As a personal injury attorney our foremost goal in helping truck injury victims is to provide guidance and peace of mind. Our job is to explain the personal injury process and guide our clients through it. We also ensure our clients receive needed treatment (physical and psychological), gather all evidence, and navigate the claim process.
In this month’s blog, we are going to cover some of the common injuries we see in 18-wheeler wrecks.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
The vast majority of significant 18-wheeler wrecks will involve some level of traumatic brain injury. Traumatic brain injuries (“TBI”) occur when a bump, blow, or a jolt to the head disrupts the normal function of the brain. When most people envision a TBI – they think of concussions. Concussions are a common form of brain injury – but you don’t have to have suffered a concussion to have a brain injury.
Symptoms can include:
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Extreme fatigue
- Headache
- Loss in coordination
- Memory Loss
- Nausea
- Ringing of the ears
- Vomiting
- Sensitivity to light/noise
The recovery time for a traumatic brain injury can differ widely from victim to victim. Although most will heal from this injury, there are often-times possible long-term effects of suffering a TBI:
- Depression and other psychological disorders
- Loss in the ability to smell or taste
- Concentrating problems -Memory problems
- Irritability and other personality changes
- Light and noise sensitivity
- Sleep disturbances
Penetrating Head Injury
This type of injury can happen when debris from the 18-wheeler strikes the victim’s head, or the victim hits their head on something within their vehicle, thereby causing an open head wound. The severity depends on what type of object strikes the plaintiff, as well as velocity and other factors. These types of head injuries can become immensely dangerous.
Cerebral Contusions and Lacerations
Cerebral contusions are bruises of the brain generally caused by a powerful hit to the head. There are also Cerebral lacerations, which are tears in the brain tissue caused by bone fragments from a broken skull or by foreign objects penetrating the skull. Both types of injuries can cause bleeding and swelling in the brain, which typically requires hospitalization for monitoring. These injuries are more common in high force car crashes such as rollovers and ejections as well as in 18-wheeler crashes. Some common symptoms are:
- Coma/unconsciousness
- Drowsiness
- Confusion
- Restlessness
- Agitation
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Impaired balance
- Impaired memory
- Loss of:
- Control of emotions
- Bodily movement
- Loss of senses
Coup-Contrecoup Injuries
Pronounced coo and contra coo injuries. To understand these injuries – we need to recognize the brain is not “attached” to the skull. It is floating in cerebrospinal fluid. Therefore, the brain can be “bounced” around within the skull. Coup injuries occur when the brain bounces into the skull at a point of impact. Contrecoup injuries occur opposite the point of impact – when your brain bounces backward and hits the other side of the skull. Coup-Contrecoup injuries damage the opposite side of the brain. For example, in a frontal impact – the brain may slam against the front of the skull, then be thrown back into the rear of the skull. These types of injuries can cause problems with:
- Speaking
- Decision making
- Language Comprehension
- Trouble concentrating
- Memory loss
- Trouble swallowing
- Loss of balance
- Muscle weakness
- Paralysis
- Sensory changes
Again, due to the sheer size of an 18-wheeler truck, these types of brain injuries are more common in auto accidents involving 18-wheelers and significant force.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries can affect all aspects of the victim – mentally, emotionally, socially, and physically.
They often cause permanent changes in: -Strength -Sensation -Other bodily functions below the injury. Other common symptoms are:
- Paralysis
- Loss of sensation
- Loss of bowel or bladder control
- Exaggerated reflexes and spasms
- Changes in sexual function and feeling, as well as fertility
- Extreme back pain or pressure in back, head or neck
- Numbness or tingling in limbs
- Impaired breathing
- Oddly twisted neck or head
Internal Injuries (Blunt Force Trauma)
These types of injuries include damage to internal tissues, bones, organs, etc. due to an external, non-penetrating (doesn’t break the skin) force to the body. This type of injury is common in motor vehicle accidents, especially with 18-wheeler trucks involved due to the size and power of impact. Internal injuries / blunt force trauma can be potentially severe. It may require hospitalization in some cases for further testing and possible surgery. Some common injuries would be:
- Internal bleeding
- Broken bones
- Lacerations or crush injuries to internal organs and tissues
Disfigurement and Burns
Disfigurement is anything that defaces or spoils an appearance of something. In the personal injury setting, this would include injuries such as burns, lacerations, and scars down to bruising, swelling, and redness. Many types of disfigurement will heal and go away while others may be life-long reminders of the traumatic event.
Allow Us To Fight For You
At Snellings Law PLLC, our practice focuses solely on personal injury claims. We defend our clients from insurance companies and adjusters trying to limit their claims. We have successfully handled cases of all sizes, up to and including traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injuries, paralysis, amputation, and wrongful death claims. If you or a loved one has been injured due to someone else’s negligence, call Snellings Law to set up your free appointment today.
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