5 Common Injuries from 18 Wheeler Accidents

Posted on behalf of Rizk Law on Dec 29, 2016 in Auto Accident

The number of commercial trucks on Portland roads has ballooned since the closing of the Port’s main terminals. Although trucks are vastly outnumbered by cars, the sheer size and weight of just one 18-wheeler or semi truck on Portland roads likens them to a trail of woolly mammoths on wheels. In fact, to be more precise, you can imagine that a fully-loaded semi truck with trailer takes up about as much room on the road as three woolly mammoths in a line, and weigh as much as six woolly mammoths. Just one woolly
mammoth weighs an average of 13,000 pounds while a fully-loaded semi truck trailer is legally allowed to weigh up to 80,000 without a special permit. Due to these dimensions, it is not difficult to conclude that a collision with a commercial truck frequently leads to tragic outcomes.

Even though the “trail of mammoths” that is just one semi truck is actually a highly-refined automotive machine operated by a [supposedly] competent and commercially-licensed driver, the number of accidents involving these vehicles escalates past one thousand annually in the Beaver State. In 2014, the most up-to-date traffic report in Oregon shows that Oregon experienced 2,144 semi truck collisions, 434 of which took place in Portland. Over 1, 100 people were injured, and 34 were killed.

Truck Accident Injuries are Sever

Although just 1% of all truck accidents result in a fatality, 23% are injury accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 73% of all truck accident injuries and deaths are suffered by the people in the passenger vehicle and not the truck driver nor any truck passengers. Truck drivers rarely suffer from accidents; minor scrapes, cuts and bruises are the most common injuries drivers sustain, although they are often to blame for the serious injuries and lives claimed after a truck accident. A Portland truck accident attorney can study your case to guide you in your pursuit of justice following an injury accident.

Overall, truck accidents account for 3% of all U.S. injury accidents. Injuries from truck accidents are often severe and can lead to several months or years of recovery. Paralysis, brain injuries, and fractures are common. Many truck accident victims may never fully recover, leading to a lifetime of suffering and a decreased quality of life from an incident that took only seconds. In a truck accident, the most delicate parts of your body face many risks.

Back and neck injuries are the most common and among the most dangerous of all truck accident injuries. The force at which a truck crashes into a passenger car is much more powerful than when two passenger cars collide. If you thought whiplash was an issue in a regular car accident, whiplash from a truck accident can break your neck. The impact may even lead to the dislocation of some of the discs in your spine. As a result, you could face damage to your spinal cord, putting yourself at a higher risk of paralysis.

Many truck accident victims don’t walk away from a truck accident scene because they endure several broken bones. The impact of a semi truck against a sedan or even SUV can be forceful enough to fracture even the strongest of bones. Your jaw bone, collarbone, and arm bones are some of the most at risk.

Head trauma can lead to brain injuries, which carry the greatest risk of causing a life to take a plunge. These injuries often lead to the loss of cognitive and motor functions. Even if trauma is not directly endured by the head, brain injuries can develop. They are not immediately noticeable, which is why you must always be evaluated after any vehicle accident.

Internal injuries from blunt trauma to your vital organs can be costly and difficult to treat. These accidents can cause internal bleeding in your bladder, liver, kidney and spleen. Symptoms can include dizziness, clammy skin, low blood pressure, increased heart rate, shortness of breath, and a rapid pulse, among others.

***Never leave the scene of an accident without being evaluated by a physician, especially when you have collided with a truck. These collisions put you at a much higher risk of suffering severe injuries that may not be apparent right away!***

The costs of recovery can be astronomical as victims may need rehabilitation for life. Too often insurance companies refuse to pay up on claims.  All these consequences are devastating. Do not let a truck accident get in the way of your future; attorney Richard Rizk of RizkLaw proudly represents truck accident victims who deserve the fullest compensation allowed by law. Don’t settle for pennies on the dollar of your injuries, call (503) 245-5677.