Semitruck accidents are among the most devastating types of motor vehicle collisions that can occur on the roads. Due to the massive size and weight of these vehicles, they can cause severe damage and injuries to other cars and their occupants.
By the numbers
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, there were 5,005 fatal crashes involving large trucks and buses in 2019, accounting for 10% of all traffic-related fatalities that year. Montana ranked 14th among the states with the highest number of fatal crashes involving large trucks per million people in 2019.
Semitruck collisions
When a semitruck collides with a passenger vehicle, the occupants of the car will likely suffer catastrophic injuries if they survive the crash. A catastrophic injury is defined as an injury that causes permanent or long-term disability, disfigurement or impairment of a vital body function. These injuries can have a profound impact on the victim’s quality of life, requiring extensive medical care, rehabilitation and assistance.
Traumatic brain injuries
Some of the most common injuries truck accidents are traumatic brain injuries. These are injuries that affect the brain’s function, causing cognitive, emotional, behavioral or physical impairments. TBIs can result from the violent impact of the collision, which forces the brain to move rapidly inside the skull, or from penetrating objects that enter the skull and damage the brain tissue. TBIs can range from mild concussions to severe brain damage that can lead to coma, paralysis or death.
What can be done?
For truck accidents can cause traumatic injuries. However, you have options. You can initiate a personal injury lawsuit against the other negligent driver to get civil justice for your injuries.
