A fully loaded tractor-trailer is roughly 20-30 times the weight of a typical passenger vehicle. Any accident involving a large truck is almost always more devastating than one between cars. Truck accident victims often suffer what is known as catastrophic injuries—injuries that completely alter a person’s life, usually permanently.
Some of the most common catastrophic truck accident injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Cognitive impairment
- Spinal cord damage
- Full or partial paralysis
- Coma
- Permanent nerve damage
- Amputation or loss of limb
- Disfigurement and permanent scarring
- Severe burn injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Poisoning from toxic materials spilled or released in a hazmat truck crash
Even if an injury does not result in permanent disability, it can require months or more of recovery and medical treatment. An injury that might be classified as “moderate” will still have an enormous impact on a person’s life. Because it can be difficult to ascertain the severity of your injuries at the accident scene, we highly recommend that you schedule a full physical examination with your doctor.
Other serious injuries in a trucking accident might involve:
- Broken bones and fractures
- Cuts, lacerations, bruises, and abrasions
- Whiplash
- Concussion
- Back and neck injuries
- Facial cuts and bruises
- Sprains, tears, strains, and other soft tissue injuries
In the most severe trucking accidents, a person may lose their life. In these situations, trucking companies may be held liable through a wrongful death lawsuit.
A wrongful death claim is a way for surviving family members to obtain recovery by holding the at-fault party accountable for the actions that caused a person’s untimely death. It also forces the wrongdoer to take financial responsibility for the expenses and losses the deceased’s loved ones incurred.
Fatal crashes devastate the lives of those left behind. Kentucky law provides an opportunity for a family to alleviate the emotional and financial burden caused by a loved one’s loss. The legal team at Peterson Law Office has years of combined legal experience in complex wrongful death cases in Kentucky. Contact a personal injury lawyer from our firm to learn more about the legal options for families of victims of fatal crashes.