SEMI TRUCK ACCIDENTS
All motor vehicle accidents have the potential to be tragic. However, truck accidents tend to be particularly deadly based on the sheer size of the vehicles involved. Large trucks can weigh up to 20 times that of standard passenger cars, meaning that the force involved in a large truck accident is often much greater. The more force involved in a car crash, the more significant the damages. Truck accidents often leave vehicles crushed, and those within with traumatic or fatal injuries.
At the law offices of Schilling & Esposito Personal Injury Attorneys, we have seen firsthand how damaging large truck collisions can be. If you or a family member has been involved in a truck accident, call our law firm today for answers to your questions about what happens next and how to recover the compensation you deserve.
Accidents With Big Rigs Can Be Devastating
When a large truck accident occurs that involves a passenger vehicle, the large truck and the large truck driver often walk away unscathed or with only minor injuries. The same cannot be said for the driver and any passengers within the smaller vehicle. Passenger cars that are hit by large trucks are often completely totaled, and those within are typically left with tragic injuries. Some of the most common injuries that are suffered by truck accident victims include:
Crush and amputation injuries. A person within a smaller vehicle may fall victim to a crush injury if the vehicle they are in crumples, resulting in the need for limb amputation. These injuries are life-changing and may have psychological as well as physical consequences.
Traumatic brain injuries. The brain is a very vulnerable organ, and when the head is struck with force or the skull is penetrated, the result may be a traumatic brain injury (TBI). These injuries can affect a person’s sensation and movement, emotion, learning, memory, speech, and more. Some TBIs have permanent effects.
Back and spinal cord injuries. This spinal cord runs the length of the spinal column and is responsible for sending messages between the brain and the rest of the body that allow for movement and sensation. While the spinal cord is protected by the back’s vertebrae, when enough force is involved, the spinal cord can be damaged. Harm to the spinal cord will result in partial or complete paralysis from the injury site downwards that is permanent.
Internal injuries. The body houses a number of internal organs that are vital for life. If these organs are punctured or impacted with enough force, severe internal organ damage, including internal bleeding, may occur. Internal injuries have the potential to be fatal.
In addition to the injuries above, which can all be fatal, other common injuries include bone fracture injuries, soft tissue injuries, and psychological injuries.
How a Truck Accident Can Change Your Life
A large truck accident is a terrifying event to live through. And while the accident itself may only take a brief moment to occur, the effects of the accident can persist for years. In addition to serious injuries that may be disabling and very expensive to treat, a large truck accident can also result in:
Economic losses. A person who is injured in a truck accident will not only face medical bills but may also face lost wages and a loss of earning capacity as well. Depending on the individual, this may mean hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars of losses over the course of life. Medical bills, lost wages, and property damage expenses are the most common economic losses suffered by truck accident victims.
Non-economic losses. In addition to economic losses, truck accident victims suffer a host of non-economic losses too. For example, these crashes often result in pain, suffering, emotional distress, psychological conditions such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, disability, diminished quality of relationships, and a diminished quality of life. Someone involved in a truck accident who suffers these losses deserves to be compensated for this harm, too.
Recovering Compensation: Proving Liability for a Truck Accident
Truck accident claims can be complicated. Not only are claimants often seeking large compensation awards, but determining liability can be very difficult to prove. This is because a truck accident involves multiple parties – often times many more than a standard passenger vehicle accident. Potentially liable parties in a truck accident claim include:
The truck driver;
The trucking company;
A third-party driver in another vehicle;
A shipper or loader of cargo;
A cargo manufacturer; or
The manufacturer of the truck or truck parts.
Getting to the bottom of how a truck accident happened and who should be held liable for damages requires a thorough investigation and the analysis of multiple pieces of data, including truck driver’s logs and electronic control module (ECM) data. Our attorneys have the resources necessary to hire experts and the staff necessary to effectively organize your case.
Let Our Law Firm Work for You – Contact Schilling & Esposito Today
When you are in a truck accident and suffer life-changing injuries, you deserve to be compensated for every cent you’ve lost and will lose in the future. Our attorneys work hard to make that happen, beginning with offering you a free consultation where we learn more about the details of your case. If you decide to hire us, we will investigate your accident, build your claim, and handle all legal elements of working with an insurance company. If you are offered a settlement, we will review it to make sure it is fair and fully compensates you; if not, we negotiate on your behalf. We are skilled litigators with trial experience and will not hesitate to take your case to trial. We prepare for every case the same way – in-depth preparation and ready to go to trial.
To schedule your free consultation with our experienced Virginia truck accident lawyers, please call our law firm today at 804-261-1001 or send us a message telling us more about your case.