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Truck accidents are far more likely to cause catastrophic injuries than typical car crashes. Due to the size, weight, and force involved in commercial trucking collisions, victims frequently suffer permanent, life-altering harm that requires long-term or lifetime medical care.
In Massachusetts and New Hampshire, truck accident cases often involve traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, severe burns, amputations, and other injuries that qualify as catastrophic under personal injury law. Understanding why these injuries occur and how they affect victims is critical when pursuing compensation.
This article explains why truck accidents are uniquely dangerous, the types of catastrophic injuries commonly seen, and how these cases differ from standard motor vehicle claims.
Commercial trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded. By comparison, the average passenger vehicle weighs approximately 3,000 to 4,000 pounds.
When collisions occur, the disparity in size and mass dramatically increases the force transferred to occupants of smaller vehicles. Even at moderate speeds, the impact can be devastating.
Several factors contribute to the severity of truck accidents:
Because of these factors, occupants of passenger vehicles often sustain injuries that are significantly more severe than those seen in standard car crashes.
Truck accidents frequently result in injuries that permanently alter a person’s physical and cognitive abilities.
Some of the most common catastrophic injuries include:
Head trauma from high-impact collisions can lead to long-term cognitive impairment, memory loss, personality changes, and permanent neurological damage. Even with treatment, many victims never return to their prior level of functioning.
Damage to the spinal cord can cause partial or complete paralysis. Victims may require wheelchairs, assistive devices, ongoing therapy, and lifetime medical supervision.
Fuel fires and hazardous material spills can cause third-degree burns requiring extensive surgical treatment, skin grafts, and long-term rehabilitation.
Crush injuries and severe trauma can result in the loss of limbs. Prosthetics, ongoing therapy, and psychological counseling are often required.
High-force collisions frequently cause complex fractures, internal bleeding, and organ damage that require emergency surgery and prolonged recovery.
Many of these injuries meet the legal definition of catastrophic injuries because they result in permanent disability, loss of function, or the need for lifelong care.
There are structural and industry-related reasons truck accidents tend to produce more severe outcomes:
Commercial drivers are subject to federal hours-of-service regulations designed to prevent fatigue. When these rules are violated, driver impairment increases the likelihood of high-speed collisions.
Improperly secured cargo can shift during transit, causing rollovers or jackknife accidents. These crashes often involve multiple vehicles and serious injuries.
Because trucking companies carry high insurance limits, claims often involve extensive legal defense efforts. When injuries are catastrophic, insurers aggressively challenge long-term damage claims.
The combination of physical severity and legal complexity makes truck accident cases fundamentally different from typical car accident claims.
Catastrophic injuries from truck accidents often require:
In many cases, the financial impact extends for decades. Proper documentation of future medical needs and economic losses is essential to securing fair compensation.
For more information on how long-term care needs are proven, see our guide on proving lifetime medical care in Massachusetts catastrophic injury cases.
Truck accident claims often involve:
Because catastrophic injuries are more common in truck collisions, these cases frequently require detailed medical evidence, life-care planning, and economic projections to fully account for long-term damages.
Truck accidents are more dangerous due to the significant weight and size disparity between commercial trucks and passenger vehicles. The increased force of impact often results in severe or catastrophic injuries.
Traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, burns, amputations, and multiple fractures are among the most common serious injuries seen in truck accident cases.
Not every truck accident causes catastrophic harm, but the likelihood of permanent injury is significantly higher compared to typical motor vehicle collisions.
Compensation may include medical expenses, future medical care, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, and other long-term damages. Expert analysis is often required to calculate lifetime costs.
If you or a loved one has suffered severe injuries in a truck accident in Massachusetts or New Hampshire, it is critical to understand the long-term consequences of those injuries. Catastrophic injuries can require extensive medical treatment and significantly impact your financial future.
At Kiley Law Group, we represent victims of serious truck accidents and work to ensure that all long-term damages are fully documented and properly valued. Our team understands the complexity of commercial vehicle litigation and the importance of securing compensation that reflects the true impact of catastrophic injuries.
Contact Kiley Law Group today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about your legal options.
