Many drivers in California become anxious when sharing the road with commercial trucks. Collisions with trucks and passenger vehicles usually end in death with 97 percent of the fatalities being occupants of the passenger vehicles. When these accidents don’t end in death, they often leave victims to deal with catastrophic injuries. Below are some of the most common injuries that victims incur.
Lacerations and puncture wounds can be caused by debris like flying glass. In serious cases, they lead to excessive blood loss and scarring with the latter even leading victims to develop psychological problems. Another form of mental trauma that truck accident victims develop is post-traumatic stress disorder. Its symptoms include recurring nightmares about the crash and anxiety that interferes with day-to-day activities.
Injuries to the head and spine are all too frequent. Traumatic brain injuries can lead to mild or severe concussion, and these are often hard to treat because their symptoms appear days or weeks after the accident. Spinal cord injuries, such as the compressing or fracturing of the vertebrae, can damage the nerves and bring about temporary or permanent paralysis. Broken bones, such as in the arms, legs and hips, are another outcome when victims’ bodies are impacted by windows, steering wheels or airbags.
If they are involved in truck accidents through no fault of their own, victims may want to speak with a lawyer as soon as their physical condition allows them to. This state has a two-year statute of limitations on accident claims. If the victim dies, any eligible dependent can file a wrongful death suit. In either case, the lawyer may start by assessing the claim and proceed to build up the case in an effort to convince the auto insurance companies to pay out a fair settlement.
