What You Need To Know About Trucking Accidents And Injuries
Without those in the trucking industry, Florida would be a much less vibrant and interesting place. We rely on truckers to bring us food, goods, our packages from online shopping, and so much more. However, trucking can be a dangerous job, with risk of personal injury on every leg of every trip. Trucking accidents can cause devastating injuries, and one wrong move could cost a truck driver his or her career.
Trucking Accident Statistics
It’s difficult to whittle down trucking accident statistics for Florida alone, as truck drivers drive through each state of the country as part of their everyday job. Some trucking accident statistics from across the United States according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration include:
• 1% of all truck accidents are fatal.
• 23% of truck accidents result in injury.
• Truck crashes account for 8% of all fatal accidents in the United States.
• 83% of all truck accidents occur on weekdays, and 17% occur on weekends.
When one thinks of dangerous jobs, trucking usually isn’t one that comes to mind first. However, these few statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that truck drivers take a risk each time they take to the road.
Common Types Of Truck Accident Injuries
Truck accident injuries can be vast and varied, just like the injuries experienced in any type of Florida car accident. From those that require only a few days off from work and a short recovery period, to those that are fatal or life-changing, anything can happen when a truck is involved in an accident on the road.
Back and neck injuries can occur quickly in truck accidents, and they can range from a minor annoyance to those causing long-term disability. When truck drivers suffer the more serious types of injuries, like slipped discs or paralysis, they could lose their career in the blink of an eye. In these instances, a personal injury attorney specializing in Florida truck accident law should be appointed straight away to ensure truck drivers can get the compensation they need to return to their lives.
Broken bones are another common injury suffered in truck accidents. Trucks are powerful vehicles made to carry thousands of pounds of cargo, which means when they crash they tend to crash hard. For this reason, the amount of force a truck driver will be exposed to in an accident may be more than someone in a typical 4 wheel motor vehicle, leading to more cases of broken bones.
Because trucks move with such force, they also make it more likely for drivers to suffer from seatbelt related injuries. While seatbelts should always be worn and almost universally save drivers from further injury, they do add to the ultra-common cases of whiplash. Whiplash is usually relatively minor and takes just a few days to a week to solve itself, but in some cases, the soft tissue injuries may be more severe and require additional medical assistance.
What To Do If You’ve Been In A Trucking Accident
If you’ve been in a trucking accident, the first thing you should do after being assessed medically is to find an attorney to represent your case. Whether you’re looking for compensation from your insurance provider, or you’ve suffered more severe life-altering injuries and wish to pursue a lawsuit, it’s your attorney that will represent you in negotiations or in court. To learn more about what a skilled Florida personal injury attorney can do for you, contact us at GetMeJustice.com today.
