Commercial truck accidents are often caused by factors that differ from other motor vehicle crashes, and truck crash investigations are often more complicated than other accident investigations. However, those aren’t the only things that make commercial truck wrecks unique. While severe injuries may occur in any motor vehicle accident, commercial truck crashes are more likely to result in catastrophic injuries. When this happens, it’s important to have an experienced Louisville truck accident lawyer on your side.
The Danger of Commercial Truck Wrecks
The size and weight of commercial trucks create particular risks for other motorists. Regardless of how the truck crash occurred, drivers and occupants of smaller vehicles such as cars, SUVs, minivans, vans, and motorcycles may face catastrophic injuries because of:
- A truck’s weight. Commercial trucks can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds, or several tons more than other types of motor vehicles. The truck’s weight creates extra force on the smaller vehicle when a crash occurs, which could cause more significant injuries.
- A truck’s height. Small vehicles may slide under the back, side, or front of a large truck. These accidents are particularly dangerous if the truck lacks underride guards. The damage to the front or top of the smaller vehicle can cause fatal injuries.
For these reasons, truck accident victims should seek immediate medical attention after a truck wreck so that any injuries can be diagnosed and treated. Then immediately after, you should contact a Louisville truck accident lawyer who specializes in catastrophic injuries, like the attorneys here at Gray & White law.
Types of Catastrophic Injuries That Happen in Commercial Truck Accidents
The types of injuries victims of commercial truck crashes sustain will depend on a variety of factors. However, people hurt in Kentucky truck accidents often suffer:
- Brain injuries. Traumatic brain injuries, skull fractures, and concussions can significantly impact your life. Severe brain injuries may result in life-long disabilities.
- Burn injuries. Burn injuries are incredibly painful. If you suffer a truck accident burn injury, you may require extensive hospitalizations, surgeries, and ongoing medical treatment. Infections may become life-threatening, and scarring may be permanent.
- Back, neck, and spine injuries. Spinal cord injuries are permanent and irreversible. You may be paralyzed below the point of injury. Back and neck injuries may also significantly impact your quality of life and require ongoing medical treatment.
- Bone fractures and orthopedic injuries. Any bone can break in a truck wreck. You may be in a lot of pain. Your treatment may include surgery and immobilization, and your recovery may include physical therapy. Some people suffer permanent mobility issues or ongoing pain from broken bones or other orthopedic injuries.
- Lacerations. A deep cut or laceration may not seem like a serious injury. However, it may lead to infection or scarring. Additionally, it could limit your daily activities if it is on your hand or foot, and facial scarring could impact you emotionally and professionally for years.
- Amputations. Amputation may occur at the truck accident scene if an arm, hand, finger, leg, foot, or toe are severed. Additionally, truck accident amputations may happen later if you suffer an infection, broken bone, or other medical complication that requires doctors to amputate to save your life.
- Internal injuries. Internal injuries include internal bleeding and damage to organs including the lungs, spleen, and kidneys.
- Wrongful death. Many of the injuries described above can be fatal.
You may experience immediate signs of injury at the accident scene, or you may not know how badly you are hurt until you get medical care. Either way, the actions you take next will significantly impact your physical and financial recoveries. That’s why it is extremely important to contact an competant and experienced Louisville truck accident lawyer as soon as possible.
What to Do After a Serious Truck Crash
According to our Lousiville truck accident lawyer, if you are physically and emotionally able to take action at the accident scene, you should:
- Call 911. The police will come and make sure that everyone is safe and investigate the crash.
- Take pictures. These photos may become essential evidence in your truck accident case.
- Get contact information for the trucker and all witnesses. This information will also be critical to your truck accident case.
- Accept emergency medical care. Whether or not you experience immediate pain, you should accept emergency medical care to diagnose and treat any potential injuries.
However, don’t worry if you couldn’t (or didn’t) do these things. Sometimes, it’s just not possible, but the actions you take in the days, weeks, and months following the accident are critical. During this time, you can:
- Continue getting medical care and following your treatment plan. You don’t want your injuries to worsen or for the insurance company to argue that your injuries are as bad as they are because you failed to follow doctors’ orders.
- Be cautious about talking to insurers. The insurance company is not on your side. Instead, the insurance adjusters want to maximize profits for their employers by paying you as little as possible for your truck accident injuries.
- Call an experienced truck accident lawyer. An attorney can take all of the guesswork out of handling a truck accident case and make sure that all of your rights are protected.
Additionally, you can avoid common mistakes, such as:
- Posting on social media. Anything you put on Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, or other social media platforms may be taken out of context and used against you.
- Accepting an early settlement offer. Typically, early settlement offers favor insurance companies. Accordingly, you may not want to settle until you know exactly how your injuries will impact your future and you’ve consulted with a lawyer.
- Waiting too long to file a lawsuit. In most cases, you have just one year to file a truck accident claim in Kentucky.
All of these steps are designed to help you make a fair financial recovery for your truck crash injuries.
Get the Truck Accident Injury Compensation You Deserve
You deserve to understand the potential benefits of filing a truck accident lawsuit. Your injuries can’t be undone, but a truck wreck case can help compensate you for your past and future and our Louisville truck accident lawyer can help:
- Medical expenses
- Lost income
- Out-of-pocket costs
- Pain and suffering
Additionally, your lawsuit may encourage the trucking company to prioritize safety and help prevent future accidents.
You Can Afford the Help of an Experienced Lousiville Truck Accident Lawyer
Right now, you are experiencing significant amounts of pain, stress, and financial uncertainty because of your truck crash injuries. You want to make a fair recovery, but you may be concerned about the expense of hiring an experienced Louisville truck accident lawyer who can help you.
Gray and White Law not only offers you a completely free initial consultation, but we are also proud to offer you our No-Fee Policy. We will not charge you any hourly fees, and we will not be paid unless you win.
Contact us today to learn more and to schedule your free consultation about your truck accident recovery.