In Oklahoma, car accidents are more common than truck accidents, but crashes involving commercial trucks are far more likely to cause catastrophic injuries and fatalities. Recent data from the Oklahoma Public Safety Office reveals some concerning statistics about commercial truck accidents.
Some of the key information from the safety office’s 2020 report includes:
- More than 4,700 total truck accidents occurred statewide
- More than 1,100 truck accidents caused at least one injury
- More than 1,500 total injuries were caused by these accidents
- At least one fatality was caused by 73 of these truck accidents
- There were 75 total fatalities in these accidents
The truck accident attorneys at BDIW Law have decades of experience, always keeping in mind their clients’ best interests all over the state of Oklahoma. The key to our success is clear communication with clients and advocating tirelessly for their rights.
Common Injuries of Truck Accidents
Truck accidents can be caused by any number of reasons: inexperienced drivers, distracted driving, malfunctioning equipment, road conditions, and improper loading. Each year, these accidents lead to serious injuries and death.
The most common types of injuries seen in commercial truck accidents include:
Back and Neck Injuries
Survivors frequently suffer ligament and tendon injuries, muscle strains, and soft tissue damage. The bony vertebrae protect the spine, and gel-filled discs serve as cushions between each section of the vertebrae. These discs absorb the impact on the vertebrae and spinal column.
When injured, discs bulge, leak, or become herniated. Restricted flexibility and pinched nerve bundles make this debilitating.
Burns
Truck crashes often come with fires and explosions. Severe burns are often suffered. Friction burns or road rash also occur when survivors are ejected from vehicles and scrape the pavement. Burn treatments are a long, hard road, trying to avoid infection, and typically requiring plastic surgery.
Broken Bones and Loss of Limbs
Broken bones may seem simple, but fractures can lead to complications. Pins, rods, and screws may be needed to mend bones. Fractured bones can puncture the skin and become compounded, or they can pierce organs and cause internal bleeding.
Nerve damage, infections, or permanent deformity are typical. Full or partial limb amputation also occurs either during collisions or because of complications.
Head and Brain Injuries
Because of the force associated with truck collisions, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), like concussions, are common. With TBI, little lesions form in the brain. These lesions are so small regular X-rays and CT scans may not detect them, and special imaging must be used.
Head injuries often alter lives. TBI symptoms include:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty sleeping
- Headaches
- Memory Loss
- Mood swings
Lacerations
In the chaos of a crash, people are often cut, scraped, and punctured when shattered glass and sharp metal fly. A vehicle’s interior can become a torture chamber of objects slicing through the air. Survivors can lose dangerous amounts of blood or be permanently disfigured.
Paralysis
Total or partial paralysis can occur if the spinal cord is damaged or severed. This often results in the injured being paralyzed at and below the spinal cord damage.
Of course, the worst possible outcome of a commercial truck crash is the loss of life. There are too many fatalities each year because of these collisions.
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SPEAK TO AN ATTORNEY TODAYCommon Types of Truck Accidents
The trucking industry is a vital part of the American economy. Almost 13% of all motor vehicles on US roadways are commercial trucks. It does not matter whether it is sunny or rainy, sleeting or snowing. The highways are filled with tractor-trailers, big rigs, and semis.
In 2018, the American Trucking Association reported that commercial trucks were responsible for shipping more than 11 billion tons of goods and resources. The trucking industry employed 3.5 million truck drivers, almost 8 million people in total.
With this volume of goods and this many truckers in motion spending countless hours on the road, the probability of accidents increases. So many commercial truck accidents happen that the types of these crashes have been categorized. Eight of the most common type of crashes include:
- Head-On and Rear-End Accidents – This occurs when a vehicle crashes directly into the front of a commercial truck. A truck running over the back of a vehicle is known as a rear-end collision.
- Jackknife Accidents – These occur when a commercial truck abruptly brakes, making the trailer swing to the side and slide to a ninety-degree angle with the cab. Jackknifing trucks often roll over, creating massive hazards across the roadway.
- Blind Spot Accidents – Large commercial trucks have bigger blind spots than normal vehicles. This significant blindspot makes changing lanes tricky, and smaller vehicles can be side-swiped because truck drivers lose them in the blindspots.
- Rollover Accidents – Because of a big rig’s size and weight, when drivers lose control, trucks can tip and roll. This is dangerous for drivers, and overturned trucks become hazardous road obstacles.
- Underride Accidents – Smaller vehicles usually receive catastrophic damage with their tops torn off. The National Transportation Safety Board strongly suggests installing side guards to prevent these crashes.
- Blowout Accidents – The shredded evidence of truck tire blowouts can be seen littering the sides of every American highway. When tires blow out on semis, it creates instability and weaving, which may lead to sideswipes.
- Lost Load Accidents – Improperly loading trailers can cause the contents to become loose and fall off. Vehicles swerve to avoid falling debris, often colliding with other cars or losing control after leaving the road.
- T-Bone Accidents – Often occurring when commercial trucks run red lights or stop signs, crashing into the side of other moving vehicles. The reverse can also occur when another vehicle crashes into the side of a moving truck.
Contact BDIW Law for a Free Initial Consultation
The skilled attorneys at BDIW Law are here to help any victim of a commercial truck crash. So, if you or a loved one has been in a truck accident, we can advocate for your rights and secure the compensation needed to recover and get your life back.
No need to worry about a fee—our success comes from securing compensation for our clients. Contact us today for a free consultation.
