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Common Truck Accident Injuries

By Attorney James Whalen | Published on August 19, 2024

An accident involving a tractor-trailer generally results in more severe and catastrophic injuries than an accident with another car. The size and weight of the truck and its inability to stop quickly add to the devastating impact.

Truck accident injuries have a ripple effect on your life. Your injuries may prevent you from working and result in stressful medical bills that are impossible to pay. You may have legal options if the commercial truck driver is responsible for your accident. Learning how to move forward after your crash is critical for justice and possible compensation.

Most Common Truck Accident Injuries

Truck accident injuries change lives in an instant.

A tractor-trailer can collide with you in a rear-end, T-bone, sideswipe, or head-on crash. No matter which type of accident you experience, chances are your injuries are life-changing.

Truck accident victims typically suffer more than just a broken arm. The forceful impact of a fully loaded tractor-trailer can result in one or more of the following injuries:

  • Spinal cord injury: Partial or complete paralysis of the spinal cord, affecting movement and sensation.
  • Multiple broken bones: Bone fractures in various areas may require several surgeries and extensive therapies.
  • Traumatic brain injury (TBI): Disruption of normal brain function, making simple daily tasks difficult or impossible.
  • Burns from tanker truck accidents: Chemical burns from tanker trucks hauling hazardous material.

While not a complete list, these injuries are among the most common in large truck accidents. The severity of such injuries has substantial emotional and psychological implications for victims.

Life is never entirely as it was before the accident. Holding the responsible party accountable for their negligence can possibly prevent the same tragedy from affecting another road user. It can also give you peace of mind regarding your future financial needs.

If you or a close loved one suffered harm from a careless truck driver, consider contacting a South Carolina attorney today.

Legal Implications of Truck Accident Injuries

Negligence is the core of truck accidents.

All South Carolina road users have a responsibility to obey traffic laws. Commercial truck drivers have more than a ticket at risk when they drive irresponsibly:  they may also lose their license and, therefore, their career.

For civil claims and lawsuits, your lawyer must prove the responsible party acted recklessly or without a duty of care for other drivers. The possibility of more than one liable party makes truck accident cases complex.

A truck accident case may result from the negligence of a driver, such as:

  • Driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol
  • Aggressively speeding or engaging in acts of road rage
  • Driving distracted by removing eyes from the road, hands from the wheel, or mind from the task at hand
  • Sleep deprivation behind the wheel that results in slow reaction and poor judgment.

The truck owner or company may also be liable for damages if one or more of the following acts of negligence occur:

  • Expired or ignored inspections
  • Faulty brakes or lights
  • Worn or damaged tires
  • Overloaded or unsecured freight.

A reckless truck driver driving an unsafe truck is a deadly combination. If your loved one died from their truck accident injuries, you may want to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit.

Negligence never has a favorable outcome for innocent victims. When a truck driver or company prioritizes delivering a load sooner rather than safely, the consequences demand accountability.

How Can a Truck Accident Lawyer Help?

You do not have to fight your case alone.

A truck accident lawyer helps you determine whether you have a case. If they take legal action, they will build the best case possible for fair compensation.

Gathering evidence related to your case is the last thing you want to do as you recover from your traumatic crash. A truck accident lawyer helps you by:

  • Reviewing the police report and any local news reports
  • Examining accident scene video and photos
  • Interviewing witnesses or reading witness statements.

Negotiating a fair settlement with an insurance company requires skills and experience. The trucking industry is extensive, and many companies are well-protected by insurers familiar with the civil process. Pain medications and a lack of understanding regarding South Carolina civil laws make it impossible to negotiate with them alone. Confusion and stress may cause you to accept less than you deserve.

A truck accident lawyer protects your best interests by negotiating for what you deserve. If the negotiation process is not the best route for your case, they will take your case to trial.

The traumatic event you experienced, either through your injuries or loss, can leave you brokenhearted and in financial hardship. Truck accident victims have legal options under South Carolina civil law. Consider contacting an attorney for a free consultation as soon as possible.

Your South Carolina Truck Accident Injury Attorneys

Whalen Montalvo Attorneys at Law

Truck accident injuries often require adjusting to a new normal, whether it is a wheelchair, home modifications, ongoing therapies, or a lifetime of grief. At Whalen Montalvo Attorneys at Law, we help truck accident victims through one of the most challenging times of their lives. James Whalen and Erik Montalvo have experience with transportation cases. They are unafraid to take on large insurers and fight for your case’s best outcome.

Compensation in truck accident cases typically involves your medical bills, lost wages, and, in cases of wrongful death, funeral costs. To pursue a personal injury or wrongful death case, you must act quickly. The South Carolina statute of limitations for pursuing a civil case is three years. The three-year period begins at the moment of injury or death. Failure to promptly file required court documents can cause you to lose your chance to pursue compensation.

If you suffered injuries or lost a close loved one in a South Carolina truck accident, contact Whalen Montalvo Attorneys at Law. Call (864) 770-7710 to schedule your free consultation today.

James M. Whalen

I grew up right here in Greenville, South Carolina. Following highschool, I attended Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, where I was an NCAA Scholar-Athlete for the Rhodes Lynx soccer program.

I completed my law degree at University of South Carolina School of Law, where I was on the mock trial team and an editor for the Journal of Law and Education. Following graduation, I served as a judicial law clerk for Senior Judge Robert H. Hodges, Jr. on the Court of Federal Claims in Washington, D.C. My experience in D.C. trial courts solidified my desire to become a trial lawyer.
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