Truck accidents are one of the most devastating and dangerous types of vehicle accidents you can experience. With the strong transportation industry in Tennessee, you’re likely to share the roads with large trucks every single day. When a small passenger vehicle collides with a tractor-trailer at any speed, serious injuries are a very likely outcome.

Find out more about the types of injuries reported after truck accidents in Tennessee, and when you’re ready to discuss your claim in greater detail, call Banks & Jones.

Common injuries and severe injuries

Some injuries may be considered minor compared to others, but they are still frequently reported and can seriously affect your life. Injuries that fall into this category include whiplash, neck strain, concussions, bruises, and back tenderness or pain. While these injuries may pass with time and rest, they can still affect your ability to work and your quality of life.

Unfortunately, many truck accident injuries put you at risk of permanent disability or even death. We’ll delve into those more now.

A spinal cord injury is one of the most severe outcomes of a truck accident. These injuries occur most commonly after high-impact crashes that force the person’s body to absorb significant force or suffer crush injuries. Spinal cord injuries can cause paralysis or partial loss of function, depending on whether they are considered complete or incomplete. The extent of the damage also depends on where on the spine the injury occurs. The higher on the spine you are injured, the more loss of function you may experience. Those who suffer a complete spinal cord injury at the top of their spine may experience full quadriplegia. Costs associated with this injury include physical therapy, in-home care, lost earning capacity over several decades, wheelchairs and assistive devices, and surgical treatments.

The brain is the body’s most complex organ, and damage to it can be lifelong. Minor traumatic brain injuries generally heal in a matter of days with rest and monitoring, while moderate and severe traumatic brain injuries typically require medical intervention. Even with immediate medical care, a traumatic brain injury patient may have permanent losses. The physical side effects of a TBI depend on which part of the brain is impacted. For example, damage to the prefrontal cortex may hinder a person’s ability to make good decisions, control their emotions, and solve problems. Damage to the part of the brain that controls the legs may limit a person’s mobility and leave them wheelchair-bound.

The long-term costs of traumatic brain injuries can be extremely high, particularly for patients who are permanently unable to walk, care for themselves, communicate or work.

Internal organ damage is a catastrophic injury that’s a particularly dangerous outcome of a truck accident, as it is not always visible. Car accident victims may walk away feeling a little shaken up but mostly fine, only to end up in the hospital hours or days later with severe pain. If an organ is ruptured or perforated, a person can slowly bleed out over time. This is an incredibly expensive injury, as it often requires hospitalization, blood transfusions, and around-the-clock monitoring. If organ damage isn’t caught right away—and sometimes, even if it is—it may lead to organ failure, sepsis, or death.

Complex fractures or multiple fractures are far more complicated than most people understand. These injuries often require surgical intervention, and due to the strain caused by recovering from multiple injuries, patients often have to spend weeks or months recovering and giving the bones time to heal.

Depending on which bones are broken, a full recovery may not always be possible. Some bones, once broken, never function quite the same way again. These fractures may leave patients struggling with limited mobility, chronic pain, required future corrective surgeries, and disfigurement.

Orthopedic injuries are often very expensive for patients. They may have to pay for crutches and prosthetics over the course of their lifetime, give up their work or step down to a less demanding position, and regularly attend physical therapy to avoid loss of functionality.

Psychological and emotional fallout

While physical injuries are the most common consequence of a truck accident, it’s also fairly common for patients to report significant psychological issues after a collision. Truck accidents are truly life-or-death situations, and victims may be left struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder for months or years after an accident. Other potential psychological issues include anxiety, panic attacks, depression, sleep disturbances, and a driving phobia.

Mental health treatment can be prohibitively expensive for many people. Those with severe PTSD may need ongoing therapy for the rest of their lives, and many people with psychological symptoms require medication and followup care to live life to the fullest. That’s why it’s so important for accident victims to get a shot at full compensation.

Long-term costs

The long-term expenses of truck accidents can leave families struggling and hopeless. These expenses include long-term hospital stays, follow-up surgeries, rehabilitative care, lost income and reduced earning potential, and caregiver expenses. For many families, the only way to have a chance at covering these expenses is a full and fair insurance settlement that helps a victim’s family move forward.

Injured in a truck accident? Let’s talk more about your options

If you’ve suffered Knoxville trucking accident injuries caused by another person’s negligence, don’t wait any longer to find out if you have a case. Our truck accident lawyers are here to support you as you navigate this complex situation and work toward recovery. Schedule a consultation now by calling us or reaching out to our team online.