A tractor-trailer in Missouri may weigh as much as 80,000 with a trailer length of up to 53 feet. The massive dimensions of this commercial vehicle result in terrible destruction when it impacts another vehicle. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in its most recent report for 2012 accident statistics, more than 3,900 people were killed in crashes involving large trucks and 104,000 people were injured. These are the numbers for one year. In its report, the NHTSA reviewed crash statistics for those trucks that had a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds.
The statistics show that there was an increase in the number of fatalities between 2011 and 2012. When there were fatalities as the result of a commercial truck crash, approximately 72 percent of the deaths were occupants of other vehicles involved in the accident, while 18 percent were riding in the truck, and another 10 percent were outside of the vehicles, such as pedestrians and bicyclists. While there was a four percent (4%) increase in fatalities, there was an 18 percent increase in people injured in these types of crashes, going from 88,000 in 2011 to 104,000 in 2012. This is a significant increase in injuries and is part of an overall upward trend for the past three years after truck accident injuries and fatalities went down for the previous four years. For these accidents, 73 percent of those injured were in the other vehicles involved in the crash, 24 percent were occupants of the truck, and three percent were designated “nonoccupants.”
A serious truck accident usually involves more than one vehicle. The majority of the accidents occurred when both vehicles were traveling in a straight line, while other accidents involved turning vehicles, negotiating a curve, or stopped traffic. Thirty-one percent of the 2012 truck accidents with two vehicles involved the large truck striking the other vehicle with its front end, as opposed to a side or rear impact point. From this very basic overview, it is easy to understand why victims of tractor-trailer crashes suffer from such severe harm.
For those people who survived the accident, they often sustained serious injuries, including:
- Spinal cord injuries, including paralysis – the tremendous forces of the crash often lead to a structural collapse of the impacted vehicle, leading to the wrenching of the occupants of the smaller vehicle. Devastating damage to the spine is all-too-common;
- Traumatic brain injuries – the impact to the head of a victim, whether penetrating or not, may cause bleeding and swelling of the brain, leading to long-term harm;
- Broken or fractured bones – most accidents involving a tractor-trailer and a car will lead to broken bones as a result of the impact forces;
- Burns – the severity of the crash may lead to the rupture of fuel tanks or lines, resulting in terrible fires while victims still are trapped in the wreck. Burn injuries often require years of medical treatment and the pain is terrible;
- Internal bleeding – crush injuries from a horrible crash may include damage to internal organs, including the liver, kidneys, spleen, pancreas, and bladder; and
- Deep lacerations – a truck accident may result in severe lacerations that take a long time to heal and often leave a victim with permanent disfigurement.
If the tractor-trailer accident resulted in the death of a loved one, it may be possible to bring a wrongful death action against the truck driver and the trucking company, depending on the circumstances of the crash.
When you have been involved in a serious accident involving a tractor-trailer, your focus may be on recovering from your injuries, but it is important to consult with a qualified attorney as soon as possible in order to protect your rights. The skilled and hardworking Missouri Truck Accident Attorneys at Hubbard & Kurtz, LLP are ready to fight for you. To schedule an initial case evaluation, call us at (877) 535-1163.