Every year, there are roughly 140,000 accidents involving large “big rig” semi-trucks. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the unsafe actions of truck drivers contribute to automobile Crashes. Indiana truck crash lawyers cite many factors, including speeding, fatigue, drunk driving, or aggressive driving. Another common factor is that many truck drivers consume legal prescription or over-the-counter drugs, which can hinder their performance behind the wheel. About 5,000 times a year, there are fatalities as a result of truck Crash. Even if this does not happen, there are many types of injuries from trucking Crashes.
If you or your loved one has been injured from a truck crash, contact our Indiana truck crash lawyer now!
Neck Injuries
Neck injuries are a very common malady resulting from a truck crash. Truck crash lawyers in Indiana say that depending upon the severity of the accident, the injury could mean permanent paralysis. Less severe symptoms of a neck injury are arm or leg weakness, difficulty breathing, numbness, or abnormal bladder problems. These injuries may or may not be readily apparent. That is why it is crucial to hire a quality Indiana truck crash lawyer if you have been involved in an accident with a semi-truck.
Crushed Body Parts
Most “big rigs” are 80,000 pounds or more and most cars weigh less than 5,000 pounds. Therefore, when a truck hits a car precisely, this can crush the accident victim. If he manages to survive, some of his body parts could suffer irreparable damage. This can be among the most difficult cases for an Indiana truck crash lawyer to handle, since the victim’s compensation must take into account medical needs, as well as the victim’s potential loss of a job skill.
Whiplash
While far less severe than other types of injuries, whiplash can also be debilitating. Whiplash occurs in rapid rear-end collisions. When a car is hit hard from behind, the force of the impact causes the victim’s head to rapidly jerk forwards and backwards. Because of the adrenaline rush of having just been in an accident, Indiana truck crash lawyers say that whiplash victims will not feel pain right away; in fact, some will not feel it until up to three days later.
For this reason, truck crash lawyers in Indiana warn their clients not to answer negatively if a police officer or someone else at the accident scene asks them if they are hurt. If they do, defense attorneys could use their statement against them, which could negatively affect the outcome of the case for the Indiana truck crash lawyer and his client.
Truck Drivers at Risk
While all motorists are at risk in semi-truck accidents, so are the drivers of these large trucks. In fact, the trucking industry has the highest on-the-job death rate of all vocations: roughly one of every eight job-related deaths is a truck driver. When this occurs, the family of the deceased truck driver should contact a truck crash lawyer in Indiana. The right Indiana lawyer can help the grieving family through this difficult time, and ensure that they are duly compensated for their loss. Depending upon the situation, the attorney may seek to discover whether the truck driver’s employer was negligent in protecting his safety.