Truck accidents can leave lives shattered—but understanding your injuries and rights is the first step toward recovery. In this guide, you’ll find clear, actionable insights into severe injuries like spinal damage, internal bleeding, and TBIs, paired with proven strategies to secure fair compensation.
Unlike generic lists, we break down medical realities, recovery challenges, and Texas legal deadlines—all in plain language. Whether you’re seeking answers for yourself or a loved one, discover how to protect your health, finances, and future starting right here.
Let’s begin.
1. Amputation
Amputation is defined as the removal of any extremity, such as a foot or an entire leg. A limb may be separated from the body during a truck accident, but most amputations are surgical when the limb is damaged beyond repair. You may also risk loss of blood if important blood vessels are ruptured as part of the limb separation.
There are three typical reasons why doctors may decide to perform a surgical amputation following a truck accident:
- The extremity experienced severe trauma during the collision.
- The limb has poor blood flow.
- The area is infected, and the infection is spreading.
Amputation has a long recovery process. Skin takes time to heal, and amputees must relearn how to perform basic daily tasks. Once the wound has healed, you will need to visit specialists to acquire a prosthetic limb. You will face extensive rehabilitation so you can adjust to life with a prosthesis.
2. Broken Bones
If you’ve ever broken a bone before, you may have only needed a cast for a few weeks and returned to your normal activities quickly. When you suffer broken bones during a truck accident, you may need treatment that significantly limits your mobility. In the case of a compound fracture, where the part of the bone is outside the body, you will likely need surgery to correct the issue.
With broken femurs (thigh bones), you could need metal rods and pins to strengthen the bone. Some cases even require bone grafting to resupply the area with enough bone for you to recover. During your treatment, you will likely be unable to work, adding to your concerns about paying your medical bills.
3. Neck Injuries
The most common neck injury after a vehicle accident is whiplash. During the crash, rapid back-and-forth movement of the head and neck can damage the muscles, tendons, and nerves in the neck and shoulders. Although it’s not always obvious right away, whiplash and other neck injuries can lead to severe conditions and chronic pain.
In the most extreme truck accidents, you could suffer what’s known as internal decapitation or atlanto-occipital dislocation. This is when the ligaments connecting the skull to the neck are severed, although the head isn’t separated from the body. With internal decapitation, there is a substantial risk of full-body paralysis and death, although some patients can recover with surgery and extensive therapy.
4. Back and Spinal Cord Injuries
When your vehicle is hit by a tractor-trailer, it can be forced into other vehicles, guardrails, or off the road. In many situations, the impact and movement can cause your body to twist suddenly, leading to back and spinal cord injuries. You could also experience these if your body moves forward and back very quickly.
Damage to the muscles, tendons, and nerves in the back could leave you unable to move without severe pain. You may need months of physical therapy to regain full mobility. In some instances, you may always have pain and movement issues for the rest of your life.
A spinal cord injury could cause you to lose sensation and motor control in various parts of your body. Nerve tissue does not heal well, and you could lose the ability to use your arms or legs. You might also suffer problems with internal organs, regulating your body temperature, and have continence issues.
5. Internal Organ Damage and Internal Bleeding
During a truck accident, you could experience internal organ damage from broken ribs puncturing your organs, shrapnel that penetrates your body, or blunt force trauma. For example, if you are thrown into the steering wheel, even if the airbag deploys, you could suffer severe organ damage from the force of the blow. If you are thrown from the vehicle, you may hit other objects or be run over.
Organ damage and internal bleeding can be “silent” injuries because medical providers may not be able to diagnose them right away. This is especially true if you have other injuries, such as open wounds or amputations. You can suffer these conditions even if you believe you are unhurt, succumbing to fainting and blood loss in the hours and days after your truck accident.
Injuries like these are a crucial reason why you should always get a medical examination right away after a crash, either at the scene or later at your doctor’s office. If left untreated, internal bleeding can lead to death, and organ damage could develop into chronic conditions, such as kidney failure.
6. Burns
During a truck accident, you can suffer thermal burns or chemical burns. Gasoline, oils, and other dangerous chemicals may catch fire or spill onto your skin. Treating burns requires special facilities and immediate action to prevent significant tissue damage. According to Nationwide Children’s, you could suffer injuries such as:
- First-degree burns: These are painful and red, similar to a mild sunburn.
- Second-degree burns: These burn the epidermis (first layer of skin) and the dermis (second layer of skin). They are often blistered, swollen, and painful.
- Third-degree burns: These burns destroy the epidermis and dermis, reaching the subcutaneous tissue. The area may be blackened and charred-looking.
- Fourth-degree burns: These burns involve deeper tissues such as fat, muscle, and bone. They destroy nerves, causing you to lose sensation in the area.
Burns often require skin grafts and may leave you severely scarred or disfigured, depending on the severity of the damage. While you can seek compensation for the medical costs of treating your burn, you may also be able to request financial acknowledgement of your pain and suffering. This includes embarrassment, grief, and isolation from society.
7. Traumatic Brain Injuries
Suffering a traumatic brain injury (TBI) from a truck accident can have devastating consequences. Due to the sheer size and weight of commercial trucks, you may hit your head on the window, side pillars, windshield, or steering wheel. You could also be thrown from the vehicle and hit your head on other objects.
TBIs can range from concussions to more critical injuries like hemorrhages or diffuse axonal injuries, depending on the nature and intensity of the crash. The long-term effects of these injuries can include cognitive impairment, memory loss, and changes in personality or behavior
These injuries affect both the injured and their families.
In the aftermath of big truck accidents, the road to recovery for TBI survivors is often fraught with challenges. You may need to rely on rehabilitation programs to regain lost cognitive and motor skills, requiring significant time and resources. Emotional and psychological support is also crucial as you and your loved ones cope with the profound impact of these injuries on daily life and future prospects.
Severe Truck Injuries Require Substantial Compensation From the At-Fault Parties
Any of these injuries and others you may experience in a truck accident will typically result in huge medical bills. You may be unable to work for an extended period of time or be unable ever to work again. You may also develop severe emotional distress, such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Potential damages you can seek in Texas after a truck accident include:
- Medical expenses, including the cost of surgery, ICU, and ER treatment
- Therapy for physical, speech, and other conditions
- Medications, including prescriptions for pain relievers and antibiotics
- Costs associated with prosthetic limbs
- Repair or replacement costs for your personal property
- Lost income, benefits, retirement savings, and bonuses
- Nursing care or rehabilitation facility costs
- Payment for mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and pain and suffering
To recover fair compensation after any injury caused by a truck accident, you need representation from an experienced truck accident attorney. Your lawyer must prove that someone else was at fault for the collision and establish the value of your claim. To do so, they may gather evidence from the scene of the collision, investigate the cause of the crash, and obtain the necessary medical documentation.