Many Truck Accidents are Deadly; but Not All
You’ve heard the stats before. Those that show just how much larger a big rig is than a passenger vehicle, and how physics determines the amount of damage a vehicle will take when struck by a much larger vehicle. But there are stories of semi-truck accident survivors.
Not all crashes are deadly, so we wanted to take a pause to share about three wrecks where survivors were able to walk away. Note that in the first story one of the victims walked away, others were not as fortunate. All of them need the advice from the Car Crash Captain when navigating the tricky waters that follow a semi-truck accident.
Semi-Truck Accident Survivors are less Common
Survivors, especially those who escape without serious injuries, are not common occurrences after collisions with a big truck. But they do happen.
2022, New York, a Lucky Survivor
Early on a spring morning, outside of Albany, a semi-truck collided with a handful of passenger vehicles after traffic slowed, and the truck driver wasn’t able to slow his big rig in time. The collision resulted in two deaths, but somehow one of the accident victims managed to walk away with minor injuries; bruised and sore but nothing that required surgery or allowing broken bones to heal.
The entire ordeal happened quickly, and the lucky survivor saw the semi bearing down on her. There was nothing to do but brace for impact. Even without serious physical injuries, it’s still important to talk with a semi-truck accident lawyer to ensure that emotional injuries are accounted for. More details of this wreck on the News 10 Website.
2021, Washington, Trapped in a Flattened Vehicle
As a 46-year-old woman was driving across the Skagit River Bridge, north of Seattle, in Washington state, traffic ahead of her began to slow. She braked and slowed to nearly a stop, but the semi-truck driver behind her didn’t slow in time.
With a loud bang, the truck not only smashed into the back of the vehicle, but crumpled it and landed on top of it. Viewing the wreckage (available in a short video on the ABC 7 News site), it’s hard to believe anyone could survive inside the vehicle that was flattened. But when first responders arrived, the victim pulled herself out through a small gap where the passenger window once was. The report says she had pain in her head and ribs, signs that could indicate more trauma, and an indicator that after a wreck you always want to be checked over by a doctor immediately.
2015, Oregon, Pinned between Two Trucks
The interstate was icy, and fog was limiting vision when a young driver came upon a jack-knifed semi-truck outside a small town in Northwest Oregon. He was part of a 26-vehicle pileup (read about multi-vehicle wrecks in our previous blog), but what makes his story so unique was not only that he survived, but shortly after he wrecked, he saw headlights from another semi coming toward him.
All he could do was grip the wheel and pray for the best. And the best did happen. Despite the collision, and the small pickup truck being squashed between two big trucks, the young driver had merely a bruise on his eyebrow and a few scratches on his hand. Take a look at the report on CNN for some shocking pictures of just how tightly smashed in he was.
What Happens if You’re a Semi-Truck Accident Survivor?
Aside from the obvious, of never going through a situation like these described above, the best-case scenario after a semi-truck accident is that you get to walk away with minor injuries.
But does that mean you’re in the clear? Does that mean there’s nothing else to worry about other than getting a settlement check from the insurance company to pay for the damage to your vehicle?
There’s often more than meets the eye to these wrecks. Certainly, a check to replace your rig may cover all of your financial losses. But there will still be reports that need filed, hospital visits, ongoing follow-ups to ensure nothing else comes up, and often counseling to make sure that your mental health is not damaged.
Because there are all of these “hidden” costs that semi-truck accident survivors incur – costs the insurance companies are going to hope that you don’t realize are there – you need a personal injury lawyer on your side.
Herbert Law Group Helps Semi-Truck Accident Survivors
Whether you walked away seemingly unscathed, or you were seriously injured (or in the worst case, your loved one was killed), Herbert Law Group is on your side. Our goal is to make sure that you receive the compensation you deserve, so that you’re not stressed about money after a wreck that wasn’t your fault.
Let’s talk about what happened, and see how we can help. Serving Texas from our offices in the Dallas area, we are just a phone call away – dial 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site and we’ll reach out to you.