Types of Injuries Caused by a Truck Accident or 18-Wheeler Crash
There can be several types of injuries caused in a truck accident or that result from am 18-wheeler collision. From soft-tissue injuries to a traumatic brain injury, injuries are often more severe that a simple passenger car accident. Trucks tend to cause massive property damage to smaller passenger vehicles, even to SUVs.
Low impact truck accidents can cause bulging discs, severe whiplash, and other orthopedic injuries that can eventually become debilitating. Occiptal and frontal headaches can result from a whiplash injury, causing pain at work and when the victim tries to sleep at night. If the arms or legs become numb or if you experience a tingling sensation in either extremity, you may be suffering from 'radiculopathy' an indicator of a serious disc injury in the spine. When the annulus is torn and disc matter leaks out into the spine, there can be nerve impingement, causing shooting pain and radicular symptoms. These types of symptoms rarely, if ever, resolve themselves without intrusive pain management and surgical intervention.
Surgeries for a disc injury can injury fusions, discectomies, and insertion of a BAC titanium cage in the spine. This type of spine fusion that results from a tractor-trailer crash can have mixed success. Even if the root pain symptoms are reduced, there is a chance that the disc levels above and below the surgical area can eventually fail due to the added stress on them caused by the fusion.
Traumatic Brain Injury, or TBI, can also result from a serious truck accident. These types of injuries can come with subdural hematoma, and other bleeding on the brain. Level 1 trauma care is necessary in the event an injury such as TBI is suspected. The effects of a serious brain injury can vary, from cognitive and behavioral problems, to complete vegetive state. It is critical to obtain high quality neurological, behavioral, orthopedic, and counseling care in the event that a brain injury is caused from a serious crash.
Even if the injury appears minimal, it is important to seek proper diagnostic care to root out orthopedic or neurological problems. Often times lactic acid and adrenaline caused by a truck crash can mask injuries. You may not feel the real injury until hours or days after the crash. Don't assume the injury will 'fix itself', get quality medical care before you discuss any injuries with any insurance claims adjuster.