Truck Accidents

According to the U. S. Department of Transportation, each year there are more than 500,000 truck accidents on U.S. roadways that result in an approximately 5000 fatalities. Most deaths in truck crashes are passenger vehicle occupants. The main problem is the vulnerability of people traveling in smaller vehicles. Trucks often weigh 20-30 times as much as passenger cars and are taller with greater ground clearance which can result in smaller vehicles under riding trucks and crashes.

Most truck accidents occur on weekends and in rural areas and according to statistical analysis, are caused by:

• Driver fatigue;
• Driving under the influence of alcohol including prescription and illicit drugs;
• Failure to obey traffic laws, such as running red lights or failing to use signals;
• Improper loading of cargo were driving within unsecured load;
• Lack of training;
• Reckless driving, such as unsafely passing, speeding or cutting off drivers;
• Vehicle equipment failure, including tire blowouts and/or lack of adequate maintenance on the truck; and
• Weather conditions and/or poor road conditions

Due to the size and weight of the trucks, truck accident injuries tend to cause more damage, greater injuries and high repair costs than other types of automobile accidents.

The largest vehicles on the road are semi-trucks. When these trucks are involved in accidents they do serious damage to whomever is their victims. Injuries from truck accidents are more severe than car-on-car accidents due to the great size and weight of semi-trucks.

• Back and Neck Injuries
  These injuries range from soft tissue injury causing minor neck pain to serious injuries such as dislocated discs in the spine. Serious back injuries often prevent the victim from returning to work and limit their daily activities.

• Broken Bones
  When a large truck collides with a passenger car the skeletal structure is very vulnerable and as result victims often have serious broken bones including injuries that often cause permanent disability.

• Head Injuries
  Head injuries caused by trauma to the head in an accident often causes injury to the brain which may be life-altering. Quite often a person may sustained a head injury and not immediately be aware. Some symptoms that are present include confusion, nausea, vision problems and cognitive difficulties

• Internal Injuries
  Impact with a semi-truck can cause internal bleeding to organs such as kidney, bladder, pancreas and spleen. These injuries may be life-threatening and difficult to treat.

• Lacerations
  The bodies outer protection, the skin, can suffer cuts and lacerations that are painful and often leave massive scars that may never heal.

• Rib and Torso Injuries
  A victim of a truck crash may suffer injury to the ribs and torso that can be severe. Rib injuries are usually very painful.

• Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis
  Truck accident injuries to the spinal cord (back) can be devastating and lead to paralysis. These injuries are quite often not immediately apparent. This underlines the importance of immediate medical attention when involved in a truck accident.

• Wrongful Death
  Unfortunately, tractor-trailer accidents are 10 times more likely to cause death than car on car accidents. Knowledge of the wrongful death statute and its application to truck accidents make it important to be represented by a highly professional truck accident attorney.

At the law offices of truck accident attorney Jessica Mishali, we take pride in protecting your rights with professional excellence. If you have been involved in a truck accident please call us at (561) 833-2772 for an evaluation of your case or contact us online.