Commercial trucking crashes are notorious for causing severe injuries. The big difference in size between a commercial truck and a passenger vehicle can lead to severe injuries for the people in the smaller vehicle after a wreck.
Commercial vehicle owner-operators and trucking companies have to carry extra insurance because of how much damage these massive vehicles can cause. Those hurt in wrecks with commercial vehicles may need tens of thousands of dollars worth of medical care or could miss months of work.
What are some of the common, serious injuries associated with commercial truck collisions?
Traumatic brain injuries
The force of a big truck crash can push a smaller vehicle down the road or cause it to roll over unexpectedly. Even if the occupants of a vehicle that spins or flips over don’t directly hit their heads on anything, that violent motion could cause a brain injury.
Spinal cord injuries
The amount of force during the crash can affect how severe someone’s injuries are. A crash that might only cause a soft tissue injury with a smaller vehicle couldn’t cause permanent spinal damage in a wreck with a big truck. Both complete and incomplete spinal cord injuries are possible when a crash occurs between vehicles of two very different sizes.
Broken bones
The force of a commercial crash can cause massive trauma to someone’s body. Commercial crashes can easily cause broken bones for the people in the smaller vehicle. The potential is there for terrible fractures, such as spiral fractures or compound fractures where the bone exits the skin.
Amputations
The force of a commercial crash is severe enough to sever body parts in some cases. Other times, the degree of damage these crashes cause is so extreme that modern medical professionals cannot save the injured body parts of the occupants in the smaller vehicle. Both surgical instrument amputations are possible after commercial crashes.
Death
While it is not something most people want to think about, commercial crashes claim thousands of lives every year. Family members are often left feeling shocked and devastated when someone gets into a crash with a big commercial truck.
Recognizing the losses you could suffer in a commercial crash can help you stay safe on the road or seek justice after a wreck.