Kentucky 18 Wheeler Accidents
Types of injuries in Kentucky 18 wheeler accidents
Large truck collisions—semi truck, tractor trailer, and 18 wheeler accidents in Kentucky—can be very dangerous. In fact, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports that about 5,000 people die in or from large truck accidents annually. In addition, large truck collisions cause hundreds of thousands of injuries every year.
The types of injuries an individual might sustain in an 18 wheeler accident in Kentucky are largely dependent on the type of accident that occurs.
- Rollovers. Large trucks such as 18 wheelers are more prone to rollovers due to their high centers of gravity. If a semi truck driver turns too sharply or drives over an object, a rollover could easily occur. Injuries typically sustained in a rollover are some of the most serious, such as brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, serious damage to internal organs, or even death.
- Brake failure. Brakes in 18 wheeler trucks are complicated to use, and without the proper training can lead to loss of control of the truck. In addition, any number of factors can cause the brakes of a truck to malfunction, such as mechanical problems, poor weather conditions, and an unbalanced or unsecured cargo load. When brakes fail, neck injuries such as whiplash and temporalmandibular joint (TMJ) injuries are common.
- Underride accidents. When a passenger car crashes with a truck and slides underneath the truck, those in the car can be very seriously injured. Often the truck drags the vehicle along for a period of time before it can come to a complete stop. The passenger car becomes crushed in at the front and top, and the passengers are at high risk for brain injury, broken or amputated limbs, head and neck wounds, and other serious injuries.
- Wide turns. Because trucks are so large and difficult to maneuver, when making turns it is necessary for truck drivers to first swing in the opposite direction. If truck drivers are inattentive, they can collide with other vehicles when they are turning, sometimes even crushing cars or pushing them off the road or into oncoming traffic. An individual might suffer whiplash, internal injuries such as broken ribs, other broken bones, or other more serious injuries depending on the speed of the impact.
- Head-on collisions. When an 18 wheeler collides head-on with another vehicle, very extreme damage and injuries often occur, such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), paralysis, and even death.
If you or a loved one has been injured in any type of Kentucky 18 wheeler accident, consult with an 18 wheeler accident attorney in Kentucky as soon as possible. A truck accident lawyer in Kentucky can help you obtain the compensation to which you are entitled for injuries and damages sustained in large truck accidents.
Contact Anderson & Horne, PLLC today
To find out how the Kentucky trucking accident law firm of Anderson & Horne, PLLC can help you resolve your Kentucky 18 wheeler injury matter, contact the firm today.
