The Life-Altering Consequences When a Truck Crash Causes a Spinal Cord Injury
According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, vehicular accidents—including those involving large trucks—are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries. Since commercial trucks are so much heavier than passenger vehicles, the force of impact in a truck accident is often significantly greater than in a smaller car wreck. Therefore, the resulting damages, such as spinal cord injuries, are also significantly greater and far more serious.
Signs You May Have a Spinal Cord Injury
A spinal cord injury can change your life drastically. They can affect you in ways you may never have considered, such as temporary or permanent paralysis, ongoing pain, emotional suffering, and premature death. This is why it’s important that a doctor immediately examines you following an accident to determine whether your spinal cord has been affected. A minor injury can become much more serious if not promptly treated.
Although spinal injuries are immediately noticeable when paralysis occurs, other damage may be less obvious. Some symptoms that potential spinal cord injuries can cause include:
- Headaches
- Pain in the back or between the neck and hips
- Reduced mobility
- Weakness, numbness, tingling or loss of sensation in the extremities
- Hearing loss
- Vision problems
Consequences of Serious Spinal Cord Injuries
A spinal cord injury can result not only in excessive pain and suffering, but also in a seemingly endless array of medical bills and expenses that you can’t afford. But that’s not all. Even if you ignore the financial burdens of your injuries—perhaps you’re very, very wealthy—the complications of recovering from your injury can take a toll on other aspects of your life. You may discover losses you can’t even put a price on, such as damaged family relationships, lost friendships, missed social opportunities, and a decline in your quality of life. When you add them all up, the consequences of a spinal cord injury can be truly devastating.
Securing Compensation
If you or a loved one has experienced spinal cord damage in a big-rig collision, your medical expenses could add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in the first year alone. You might require lifelong medical treatment and special equipment, and you may need to modify your home. However, whether the collision was the fault of the truck driver, the trucking company, or even the truck’s manufacturer, you may be able to file a claim to recover damages.
A seasoned truck accident attorney can help you obtain a settlement that will cover your existing and future medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages. For a free initial consultation, call the law office of Steven M. Lee, P.C., at 713-921-4171 or 1-800-232-3711, or complete the online contact form now. Financial compensation could help ease some of the burdens you’re carrying.