Truck accidents can cause severe injuries that last a lifetime. If you’ve been injured in a truck accident in Phoenix, Arizona, you may be wondering how your injuries are going to affect your future. Here’s what you might expect – and what you can do to pursue fair compensation.
Common Injuries in Truck Accidents
The difference in weight between a semi-truck and a passenger vehicle is massive. Unfortunately, that means that when a truck hits a car, the occupants of the smaller vehicle are likely to sustain serious injuries. Some common truck accident injuries include:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries – Severe blows to the head can cause traumatic brain injuries in which the brain swells and bleeds. These injuries require immediate medical attention to prevent death and to limit permanent damage.
- Neck and Back Injuries – Whiplash and other neck and back injuries can damage the spinal cord, leading to paralysis below the injury site.
- Broken Bones – The blunt force trauma of a truck accident can fracture bones. Arms and legs can break as they strike the car’s interior, and seatbelts can crack ribs.
- Burn Injuries – Particularly bad crashes can tear a fuel line, causing a fire. Burn injuries require extensive medical treatment.
- Amputations – The crash itself can sometimes amputate limbs. The crash may damage limbs beyond recovery, or rescuers may need to perform an amputation to extract a victim from the vehicle.
Why Victims Must Seek Immediate Medical Attention
There are several reasons why it’s essential to seek immediate medical attention after a truck accident. First, your injuries may be severe and can worsen over time if not treated. Injuries like whiplash may not be immediately apparent. However, delaying treatment can leave a lasting impact.
Second, by seeking immediate medical attention, you show that your injuries are real, severe, and directly connected to the accident. If you delay treatment by a few days or weeks, the insurance company or opposing lawyers may use that to argue that your injuries weren’t as bad as you claim they were or that they had some other source.
Third, when you seek medical attention, you create a paper trail of your injuries. Medical records provide essential documentation of your injuries that you need to build your case. An experienced truck accident attorney can use your medical records to prove the extent of your damages and losses.
Ongoing Medical Care and Treatment for Truck Accident Injuries
Medical treatment resulting from a truck accident is often extensive and ongoing. Over the next few weeks, months, and potentially years, you may have to undergo the following:
- Additional Surgeries – Internal injuries and broken bones may require more than one surgery to resolve.
- Physical Therapy – Traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, and spinal cord injuries all include extensive physical therapy as ongoing medical care.
- Pain Management – You may need to seek long-term pain care, especially if your injuries last longer than you can safely take habit-forming prescription medications.
- Lifestyle Changes – After a severe injury, you may be unable to do what you once could. Standing or sitting for extended periods may cause pain, and you may require a wheelchair.
Contact Our Phoenix Truck Accident Attorney for Help
If you’ve been injured in a truck accident in the Phoenix area, you need an Arizona truck accident lawyer to help you seek justice and accountability. Our attorney can investigate the crash, determine if the truck driver or trucking company acted with negligence prior to the crash, and seek the damages you need to recover. Contact Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer today and let our team pursue the money you need for your long-term care.
