Whether it's a traumatic brain injury, a fractured bone, or emotional scars like post-traumatic stress, the injuries from a trucking accident are rarely simple.
Understanding the nature of these injuries and their impact on your life is crucial to navigating recovery and legal options.
A Wisconsin truck accident lawyer can help you understand what types of injuries suffered in these crashes may qualify for compensation, how to demonstrate the extent of your injuries, and how the right legal support can maximize the recovery you deserve.
By seeking guidance, you can better protect your rights while focusing on healing from the many types of injuries suffered in trucking accidents.
Truck Crash Injury Statistics
If you have been injured in a trucking accident you are unfortunately one of many. Here’s what statistics show about trucking accidents:
- Nearly 5,000 deaths occur annually from large truck collisions, with thousands more victims suffering serious injuries.
- 74 percent of fatal passenger vehicle crashes involve trucks weighing over 26,000 pounds.
- 73 percent of injuries from large-truck crashes involve occupants of other vehicles, while 26 percent affect truck occupants, and 1 percent involve non-occupants such as pedestrians or bicyclists.
- Over 20 percent of survivors develop PTSD after a trucking accident, impacting their mental health and ability to work.
- 62 percent of spinal cord injuries from crashes result in partial or complete disability, often requiring extensive, lifelong care.
Holding the responsible parties accountable with the help of a truck accident attorney can provide the financial security victims need to focus on recovery and move forward with their lives.
What Trucking Accident Injuries Commonly Get Compensation?
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
Traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, are among the most catastrophic trucking accident injuries. These typically happen during high-speed collisions, rollovers, or when loose cargo strikes passengers. The most common head trauma injuries resulting from truck crashes that may qualify for compensation include:
- Mild TBIs (concussions): Symptoms like dizziness and confusion may resolve in weeks or months but can disrupt daily life.
- Severe TBIs: These can cause permanent memory loss, impaired brain function, or long-term disability requiring extensive medical care.
With treatment costs for severe TBIs reaching $3 million or more over a lifetime, securing compensation can help victims cover ongoing expenses and rebuild their futures.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries often result from high-impact trucking accidents, such as underride crashes or rollovers. These debilitating injuries include:
- Partial paralysis: Some mobility is retained, but victims often require assistive devices and physical therapy.
- Complete paralysis: Total loss of function below the injury site, leading to steep medical and caregiving costs.
The lifetime care for paralysis can range from $1.2 million to $5 million, underscoring the importance of financial recovery for maintaining a victim's quality of life.
Broken Bones
Broken bones, or fractures, occur frequently in trucking collisions due to the immense impact during these crashes. Fractures sustained in these accidents include:
- Compound fractures: Bones pierce the skin, often requiring surgery.
- Comminuted fractures: Bones shatter into multiple pieces, requiring extensive treatment.
Medical expenses for surgeries and rehabilitation for severe fractures can exceed $100,000, making it critical to seek compensation to cover the costs.
Internal Injuries
Truck collisions often lead to severe internal damage, especially when direct impacts involve the lungs, abdomen, or vital organs. Internal injuries commonly seen in trucking accidents include:
- Organ damage: The liver, kidneys, and lungs are especially vulnerable in high-impact crashes.
- Internal bleeding: Requires emergency surgery to prevent life-threatening complications.
Treatment costs for these injuries can start at $15,000. They can climb significantly with long-term complications, emphasizing the need to document these damages for a personal injury claim.
Burns and Lacerations
Burns and lacerations are common in trucking crashes where fires, explosions, or shattered glass are involved. These injuries include:
- Burns: Severe burns frequently require costly treatments like skin grafts, with recovery costs reaching $200,000 or more.
- Deep lacerations: These may result in permanent scarring or nerve damage.
Both of these injuries can create physical and emotional hardships. Compensation can help alleviate the financial burden of long-term care and reconstructive surgeries often required for such injuries.
Whiplash and Neck Injuries
Rear-end collisions in trucking accidents cause many cases of whiplash and other neck injuries. These often involve:
- Whiplash: A sudden jerking motion of the head and neck, causing chronic stiffness and headaches.
- Neck strains: Muscle tears that may need weeks or months of therapy to heal.
Treatment costs for whiplash-related injuries can reach $30,000 or more, making it crucial to seek financial recovery for ongoing care and rehabilitation.
Amputations
Severe trucking accidents can result in limb loss, either during the crash or as a surgical necessity later. The costs associated with amputations include:
- Immediate care: Surgery and hospitalization costs range from $20,000 to $60,000+ in upfront care costs and hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars more in long-term treatment needs.
- Prosthetics and rehabilitation: Lifelong prosthetic expenses can total up to $500,000+.
These significant financial challenges highlight the importance of compensation to help victims adapt to their altered circumstances and rebuild their lives.
Non-Physical Trucking Accident Injures That May Qualify For Compensation In A Personal Injury Settlement
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is one of the most common psychological injuries following a trucking accident. Victims frequently develop PTSD after experiencing high-speed collisions, severe vehicle damage, or seeing traumatic injuries occur to themselves or others. Symptoms can profoundly disrupt daily life and include:
- Flashbacks and intrusive memories that make victims feel as though they're reliving the crash.
- Avoidance behaviors, such as refusing to drive or avoiding specific travel routes.
- Physical and emotional distress triggered by reminders of the accident, like certain sounds or sights.
Treatment costs for PTSD, including therapy and medication, typically range from $8,000 to $12,000+ annually, and prolonged recovery may require years of specialized care. Securing compensation can help victims access long-term resources to heal and reclaim their peace of mind.
Anxiety and Depression
Anxiety and depression often develop after a life-altering trucking accident. The loss of mobility, financial instability, severe injuries, or even survivor's guilt can be devastating. Victims may feel trapped in cycles of fear or helplessness, which can manifest as:
- Severe worry or panic attacks that interfere with daily tasks or relationships.
- Persistent sadness or withdrawal from loved ones and enjoyable activities.
- Sleep disturbances and fatigue, such as insomnia, nightmares, or oversleeping.
Ongoing therapy for anxiety and depression often costs between $50 and $200+ per session, with many survivors requiring months or years of treatment to see improvement. Compensation can offset these costs and ensure victims can afford the necessary care to regain emotional stability.
Chronic Pain-Related Emotional Fatigue
Chronic pain that lingers after a trucking accident is more than a physical burden. It often creates emotional fatigue, as victims struggle with the frustration and hopelessness of dealing with constant discomfort. This condition commonly affects those who have sustained severe injuries, such as spinal cord damage or fractures, and may present as:
- Feelings of helplessness due to limited mobility and inability to engage in normal activities.
- Mental exhaustion, which makes it difficult to focus or perform essential tasks.
- Irritability or depression caused by unrelenting pain.
Addressing the emotional side of chronic pain often involves pain management programs and psychological support, which can cost $5,000 to $10,000+ annually. Seeking compensation can help provide financial relief, allowing victims to focus on their physical and emotional recovery.
Survivor's Guilt and Emotional Trauma
Survivor's guilt is especially common in trucking accidents that result in fatalities or severe injuries to others. Victims may feel overwhelming guilt for having survived, even if they were not at fault for the accident. This guilt often manifests as:
- Blame or self-criticism over surviving the crash.
- Reduced quality of life rooted in an inability to find joy or move past the traumatic event.
- Compounding anxiety or depression as victims repeatedly replay the event in their minds.
Survivor's guilt and emotional trauma often require long-term therapy and counseling, with costs similar to other psychological injuries, ranging from $100 to $200 per session. Proactively pursuing financial recovery can help victims access these necessary resources.
Long-Term Consequences of Trucking Accident Injuries
While some injuries may heal in weeks or months, others can lead to lifelong challenges:
- Loss of income: Injured victims might face extended time away from work or be unable to return to their previous roles.
- Permanent disability: Injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or limbs can permanently change life, impacting one's ability to live independently.
- Financial stress: Medical bills, therapy expenses, and mobility equipment can quickly add up.
- Ongoing pain and medical needs: Chronic pain may require long-term medication, while some victims need multiple surgeries or years of rehabilitation.
Personal injury settlement funds can help cover medical expenses, lost wages, and the costs of adapting to these new realities.
Are You Eligible to Pursue Compensation For Truck Crash Injures?
Understanding your eligibility for compensation begins with evaluating these key factors related to trucking accidents in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Iowa:
- How long ago did your accident happen?: You have up to 6 years in Minnesota and North Dakota or 3 years in Wisconsin or 2 years in Iowa to file a personal injury claim, depending on the state's statute of limitations.
- Was the accident caused by negligence?: If a driver, trucking company, or other party acted carelessly or broke safety regulations, you may qualify to file a claim.
- Have you already received compensation through no-fault insurance?: Minnesota requires victims to first use Personal Injury Protection, but serious injuries may allow claims against the at-fault party, while Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Iowa allow direct fault-based claims.
- Were your injuries serious or life-altering?: Injuries like traumatic brain damage, paralysis, or permanent impairments increase your likelihood of significant compensation.
- Were multiple parties involved in the accident?: Trucking accidents often involve several liable parties, including drivers, trucking companies, or manufacturers of defective parts, which can affect your claim.
- Did you contribute to the accident?: A lawyer can assess your case and work to minimize any potential assigned fault in an effort to maximize the compensation you recover for truck crash injuries. This is essential in states such as North Dakota, which is known for its extreme comparative negligence laws.
- Did the accident result in the death of a loved one?: If a family member lost their life in the crash, you may pursue a wrongful death claim to cover funeral costs, lost income, and emotional suffering. This may be in addition to compensation recovered for the injuries and suffering that led up to their death. Additionally, the statute of limitations for wrongful death cases can be different than for other personal injury cases.
Contact a trusted trucking accident lawyer if you're unsure about your eligibility or need help navigating the legal process. They can assess your case, handle legal details, and fight for the compensation you need to recover and move forward.
Want To Recover Maximum Compensation For Trucking Accident Injuries? Contact Nicolet Law For A Free Case Evaluation.
Trucking accidents can have devastating outcomes—from fractured bones to emotional scars or life-altering disabilities. The road to recovering from these injuries takes time, patience, and, for many, professional legal help along the way.
Understanding what these accidents can do doesn't just educate you on what to expect; it can also empower you to take proactive steps for your future.
If you're living in the aftermath of a trucking crash, you may wonder how to rebuild your life and secure financial stability. Are you ready to explore options for moving forward? Contact the Wisconsin Personal Injury Attorneys at Nicolet Law online or at 1-855-NICOLET to discuss how we can help support you through this challenging time.