When truck accidents happen, they almost universally result in serious injuries to the occupants of vehicles involved. In many cases, truck accidents result in fatalities for the drivers of other vehicles. Should the driver survive, their injuries are often severe and life-altering. If you or a loved one were recently injured in a truck accident, you will likely need financial compensation to get back on your feet.
Our lawyers can help fight for compensation for your injuries after a truck accident. We can help by collecting evidence, interviewing witnesses, and building a strong case for you when you file a lawsuit. We can take those responsible to task in court and will not stop fighting your case until the very end.
To have a free discussion with our truck accident lawyers, call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
Injuries from Truck Accidents in Newnan, GA
An empty 18-wheeler is about 35,000 pounds. It should be no surprise, then, that serious injuries are almost guaranteed when such a massive vehicle hits a sedan, SUV, or other commonly driven pedestrian vehicle. Injuries sustained in truck accidents frequently involve very long recovery times, and they may force victims to permanently change how they live their lives.
One of the first things our truck accident lawyers try to establish is the extent of your injuries. Doing so is very important because your damages are directly related to your injuries. Therefore, it is in your best interest to explain to the court in detail how you were injured and to what extent so that you have the best chance of getting financial compensation.
Broken Bones
Broken bones are a likely injury for any accident involving a forceful impact. In truck accidents, fractures are often of the more serious variety, like compound fractures, where the bone pierces through the skin or breaks in multiple areas. These types of fractures almost invariably require surgeries to repair, and you may need to be in a case for an extended period of time, significantly limiting what you are able to do physically. Even after the break has healed fully, you will still need to retrain strength in the affected area for several weeks to several months.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are very common in truck accidents. A TBI is caused by hard, forceful impacts to the head which damage the brain and/or pierce the skull. Arguably the most prevalent TBI is a concussion, or “mild TBI.” Do not let the name fool you, mild traumatic brain injuries are anything but. They can still result in symptoms such as memory loss, mood swings, and painful migraines. Moreover, prior concussions make the effects of subsequent concussions exponentially worse, so if you got a concussion previously from sports or another activity, any concussion you receive from a truck accident will be significantly worse.
More serious traumatic brain injuries have much worse consequences. You could lose basic motor functions like walking and talking, have permanent gaps in your memory, and potentially lose your life from a severe TBI.
Lacerations and Puncture Wounds
Cuts and puncture wounds can happen in truck accidents when windows break, and parts of the vehicle fly off from the force of the impact. The glass used for windshields and windows in cars is particularly thick, so it is entirely possible for a shard to become a projectile and enter someone’s body. Additionally, warped metal from either the truck or another vehicle can potentially cut or puncture a victim.
Cuts will require stitches to heal fully and may result in permanent scarring or disfigurement in the affected area. There is also the possibility that cuts could result in the loss of digits like fingers and toes. Puncture or impalement wounds, on the other hand, are significantly more life-threatening. A sharp object only needs to penetrate a few inches into the body in order to damage vital organs and other critical areas. Depending on the shape of the entry wound, it could prove very difficult to treat for first responders. Many puncture wounds require immediate hospital-level medical care.
Bruises
Bruises result from blood pooling from crushed blood vessels underneath the skin. Severe bruising likely to happen in a truck accident can cover a large area of the body and be extremely painful. While normally, bruises are not a very serious condition and will heal on their own, bruising over a large area of the body can be indicative of a much more serious medical condition like internal bleeding.
Burns
The most common reason for burn injuries in a truck accident is gasoline from either the truck or another vehicle catching fire after the crash. However, you can also get chemical burns if the truck that hit you is carrying a volatile compound and it ignites.
Burns are extremely painful and may require surgeries as well as skin grafts to treat effectively.
Damages in a Newnan, GA Truck Accident Lawsuit
When you are awarded damages in court, they are categorized as economic, non-economic, or punitive damages. These categories are mostly helpful for explaining why the court is giving you compensation, but it is good to have a general understanding of what they mean.
Economic damages are awarded for things with real monetary value. For example, you can get economic damages awarded for hospital bills or pay for missed time at work. By contrast, non-economic damages are attributed to intangible things like mental distress or the extent of physical pain. Finally, punitive damages are awarded only when the defendant has done something especially bad. Courts do not commonly mete out punitive damages.
Discuss Your Case with Our Newnan, GA Truck Accident Lawyers
To have our truck accident lawyers go over your case for free, call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
