There are almost 500,000 truck related accidents every year, the consequences of which are often catastrophic for both driver and victim. Victims often suffer with long term consequences whether it is a life changing injury, or the mental toll associated with this kind of trauma. If you or your loved one have been injured as a direct result of a truck collision, there are ways to find justice and compensation. Read our post below to find out more about this type of event and what can be done in the aftermath.
What Are the Facts About Truck Accidents?
When an accident happens and a truck is involved, the most common victims are in the passenger style vehicles as opposed to the truck driver. This is because trucks are large bodied, heavy and dominate the road with their presence. It is particularly common for vehicles to be completely wrecked or victims to die because of the looming truck size and ramifications of that. Truck accidents are a regular occurrence across the country, and there are a lot of risk factors contributing to this fact.
The Weight
All trucks weigh differently but it is typical for the measurement to be anything up to 80,000 lbs. The consequence of this, is a limited ability to control if something unexpected happens like an emergency stop ahead, a rain spell, or a pedestrian falling into the road.
Improper Maintenance
Every fleet of trucks is obligated to meet DOT requirements, but there is still room for improper maintenance and repairs to seep in, nevertheless. If a review is missed or standards are ignored, then there are all sorts of problems that may occur leading to a collision or loss of control; for instance, neglected tires or old brakes.
The Driver
Truck drivers have always worked long hours, it is just a part of the job. While these are heavily regulated and a record of logs is kept, driver tiredness or poor health still plays a role in the number of accidents that happen.
The Devastating Consequences
So, when something goes wrong, what are the consequences? The truth is that everyone will be affected differently. However, these accidents do tend to cause severe injuries and life altering events, and these are explored below.
Wrongful Death
It is undoubtedly tragic, but wrongful death is a leading consequence of truck accidents. If your loved one’s life has been taken as a direct result of a truck related collision, you are within your rights to seek compensation and resolution before the Statute of Limitations runs out. It can often bring you closer to healing by securing accountability.
Amputations
Grand scale incidents involving trucks lead to grave injuries that can and do cause a need for amputation. Losing a limb is bound to change your life, and it will be a major adjustment to get used to. Adapting is achievable and a great number of people live with amputated limbs and have a fulfilling life too. However, the change will be felt, and it is a major one.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Another impactful result may come in the form of a traumatic brain injury. These can be mild or severe, and they affect everyone differently. You may have a loss of mobility or speech capacity because of it, or even see the memory affected too. TBIs are undeniably big events, and it can take a long time to heal.
Financial Implications
There will always be some type of financial hardship after a truck accident. It might be the cost of repairs to a vehicle, medical bills, loss of income while you recover, or from the death of a spouse. There is a real threat here that any victims involved will face tough times ahead when it comes to figuring out how exactly to make their money work and navigate mounting costs.
Mental Health Impact
The mind is affected in many ways in post-accident life. There may be PTSD about the accident to work through, general anxiety, depression because of injuries, or grief. These are all things that should be taken seriously and will need input from a professional counselor or similar avenue. It is all but impossible to just wake up and carry on as normal after this kind of experience because your life is not the same. Things have changed, and you will feel the effects of this intensely for as long as your body and brain need to process what happened.
What Can Be Done?
If you lost a loved one or were a victim yourself, you may be wondering what comes next? Understanding the options in front of you is essential to securing a positive outcome and one available path worth exploring is holding the responsible party accountable for what took place. Here at M Smith Law, we have a team of successful and dedicated attorneys ready to represent your case, so the first step is to book an appointment to discuss what can be done. You can claim for loss of wages, medical expenses, mental health consequences and vehicle repair costs too.
Collect Evidence
Keep clear documentation of the medical history of your injuries including when the initial appointment was up to and including any treatment that has happened since. This includes bills, receipts, records, and so on. Make sure you have the truck driver and company information too because this is needed in order to pursue any kind of legal action. Witnesses, video footage, photographs, and car repair reports are all relevant too, and even if you don’t think something has value, in front of a trained professional it could be the key to unlocking the case.
Given the sheer size and weight of a truck, when something goes wrong and an accident occurs, it causes a significant amount of damage to vehicles, drivers, and pedestrians. The days, weeks, months, and years after the incident may be difficult, but there are paths to mitigate this emotional and physical toll.
Call us or make an appointment at our office below, and M Smith Law will be there to offer the best advice possible.
15 Broad St #800 Boston, MA 02109
Call now for a free consultation on (617) 263-0860.