Life-Altering Injuries in Truck Accidents

December 4, 2014 | Attorney, Matthew Dolman
Life-Altering Injuries in Truck Accidents Anyone should be able to imagine that an accident involving a large commercial truck colliding with a small passenger car is likely to cause severe injuries. However, you may not fully realize how significantly such injuries can affect a life until you or someone you know is actually involved in a commercial truck accident. Some victims may never be the same In June of 2014, well-known comedian and actor Tracy Morgan suffered injury after a commercial truck owned by corporate giant Wal-Mart slammed into Morgan's limo van. Authorities later discovered the truck driver had been negligently driving for 24 straight hours prior to the accident. Following the accident, media reports indicated that the 46 year-old Morgan was in the hospital recovering from broken ribs, nose, and leg. However, in recent weeks, more information has been released regarding the extent of Morgan's injuries and his prognosis for recovery. Morgan's attorney told the press [1] that the comedian has suffered a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) [2] in the truck accident. TBIs can range from minor—such as a concussion—or can cause permanent disability in a victim. His attorney also stated that due to the severity of the brain injury, there are doubts that he will ever be able to return to "the Tracy Morgan he once was." Due to a possible permanent disability, Morgan may not only lose substantial income that he would have earned in his successful entertainment career, but will also lose the ability to enjoy life as he once did. Morgan is only one example of how a truck accident can permanently change a victim's life for the worse. Common Life-changing injuries suffered in truck accidents Victims suffer various kinds of injuries in truck accidents that cause long-lasting or permanent disabilities. Such injuries may include: These injuries are often referred to as “catastrophic injuries [3],” because they cause severe or permanent functional disability. Such catastrophic injuries all generally require extensive medical treatment, including the following:
  • Emergency and trauma care
  • Lengthy hospital stays
  • Numerous surgical procedures
  • Evaluations by specialists
  • Prescription medications
  • Physical therapy
  • Rehabilitative therapy
  • Wheelchairs, walkers, or other special equipment
  • Training for family or friends to care for the patient
  • Home health care
  • Permanent move to a nursing home or assisted living facility
As you can imagine, the costs of the above treatments and equipment can be astronomical and can easily exceed any reasonable insurance coverage and can financially destroy an individual or household. Calculating damages for devastating injuries In addition to such costly medical care, injured victims often lose their ability to work, live independently, and/or enjoy life as they once did. Victims deserve to recover for all of the losses the suffered as a result of the accident. Damages for disabling injuries can be extremely complicated to calculate. Such injuries result in many different kinds of economic costs as well as noneconomic losses. Experts, accountants, and other resources may be necessary to determine the full value of a victim's past and future medical bills, past and future lost income and benefits, as well as appropriate compensation for permanent disability, loss of enjoyment of life, pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and other intangible losses. Contact an experienced truck accident lawyer in Florida for help today If you have suffered any type of injury in a truck accident, you should always consult with a personal injury attorney who has experience with this particular type of case and knows how to properly calculate damages so that you receive the full amount of compensation you deserve. Call the Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA in Clearwater, FL at 727-451-6900 for a free consultation to discuss your case. Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA 800 North Belcher Road Clearwater, FL 33756 727-451-6900 [1] https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/tracy-morgan-sustained-traumatic-brain-injury-crash-lawyer/story?id=27008525 [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traumatic_brain_injury [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catastrophic_injury

 

Matthew Dolman

Personal Injury Lawyer

This article was written and reviewed by Matthew Dolman. Matt has been a practicing civil trial, personal injury, products liability, and mass tort lawyer since 2004. He has represented over 11,000 injury victims and has served as lead counsel in over 1000 lawsuits. Matt is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum for resolving individual cases in excess of $1 million and $2 million, respectively. He has also been selected by his colleagues as a Florida Superlawyer and as a member of Florida’s Legal Elite on multiple occasions. Further, Matt has been quoted in the media numerous times and is a sought-after speaker on a variety of legal issues and topics.

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