What Are the Most Common Types of Truck Accident Injuries?

Truck accident injuries are often more involved and severe than those sustained in a standard car crash. This makes having a catastrophic truck accident injuries attorney on your side all the more important. A lawyer well-versed in the severity of these injuries and the long-term impact they can have on victims is best able to assess related damages and build a case that seeks every penny you are due.

Talk to a Catastrophic Truck Accident Injuries Attorney for FREE

To schedule a FREE case review with an experienced truck crash lawyer in Denver, call Burg Simpson at 303-792-5595 today. Our lawyers assist victims of catastrophic truck accident injuries throughout Colorado.

The Most Common Types of Truck Accident Injuries

When you are involved in a truck accident, the consequences are often life-altering. Some of the most common injuries sustained in these accidents are:

• Traumatic Brain Injury. Also known as TBI, these injuries can result in headaches, memory loss, confusion, seizures, mood and personality changes, and more.
• Spinal Cord Injury. Also known as SCI, these can lead to a loss of motor and sensory function, loss of sensation, spasticity, loss of autonomic and internal body functions, cardiovascular issues, chronic pain, and more.
• Complex Fractures & Orthopedic Injuries. Injuries to the pelvis, femur, tibial plateau, humerus, wrists, and other bones can result in infection, compartment syndrome, nerve and blood vessel damage, bone deformity, post-traumatic arthritis, necrosis, muscle atrophy, chronic pain, and more.
• Amputation & Crush Injuries. These injuries can permanently limit strength and ability, and may require prosthesis, assistive technologies like wheelchairs, home modifications, and life-long medical expenses.
• Burns & Inhalation Injuries. Burn injuries can lead to severe scarring, disfigurement, and a loss of function. Inhalation of diesel fires or hazmat spills can cause respiratory complications, infections, and permanent lung damage.
• Internal Organ Trauma. Harm to the spleen, liver, lungs, bowels, and other internal organs can result in death. These injuries can take days or even weeks to show symptoms.
• Psychological Injuries. PTSD, depression, and anxiety are all common after truck crashes. These can cause a lifetime of struggle, interfere with relationships, and increase the risks of suicidal ideation.

Each of these can have a different impact on your ability to function, work, and enjoy life. Each will also have related medical costs that can quickly chip away at your safety net. A catastrophic truck accident injuries attorney will look at how these types of injuries have and will continue to impact your life, and work to secure the compensation you will need to make the fullest recovery possible.

The Long-Term Costs of Catastrophic Truck Accident Injuries

When calculating damages from a truck accident, it is important to look at both the financial and non-financial costs of the injuries. These should include an analysis of:

• Medical treatment and lifetime care
• The impact on your ability to work
• Any home modifications or adaptability devices
• Personal property losses
• Physical pain
• Emotional and relational toll
• Loss of independence
• Lifestyle disruptions

Your financial damages must be carefully calculated to ensure full coverage of your needs. So too must the costs to your personal life. If you are no longer able to do the things you love, like skiing the Front Range, cycling the Cherry Creek Trail, or taking the family to Red Rocks, these things should be factored into the damages your catastrophic truck accident injuries attorney fights for.

Damages a Catastrophic Truck Accident Injuries Attorney Can Help You Seek

Damages you might be entitled to seek following a serious injury in an 18-wheeler collision include:

• Economic Damages. These cover financial concerns such as past and future medical expenses, in-home and facility care, rehabilitation, prosthetics and mobility aids, pharmacy, transportation to treatment, lost wages, and lost earning capacity.
• Non-Economic Damages. These cover non-financial concerns such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment in life, and lifestyle disruptions.
• Physical Impairment & Disfigurement. Separate from non-economic damages in Colorado, these address scarring, amputations, and functional loss.

When you lose a loved one in a truck accident, you may be entitled to file a wrongful death claim. Damages in these cases might include lost wages and financial support, emotional struggles, and loss of companionship and guidance, along with end-of-life and funeral expenses.

In rare cases, punitive damages may also be sought following a truck crash that results in serious injury or death. These are intended to punish fraud, malice, or willful and wanton conduct, and are not always appropriate. Your catastrophic truck accident injuries attorney will carefully evaluate the facts of your case to seek the maximum compensation you may be entitled to.

Damage Caps on Truck Accident Injury Compensation in Colorado

There are damage caps on truck accident injury claims in Colorado. These are:

• $1.5 million for non-economic damages
• $2.125 million for wrongful death damages

These caps are for claims filed on or after January 1, 2025. Beginning in January of 2028, they will be adjusted for inflation every two years.

Economic damages are not capped in Colorado. Nor are damages for physical impairment and disfigurement. Your catastrophic truck accident injuries attorney can seek dollar-for-dollar compensation for your current expenses and every cent necessary for future care, diminished earning capacity, and similar financial concerns.

If your claim involves punitive damages, they will likely be capped at whatever amount you are awarded in compensatory damages. For example, if you are awarded a total of $100,000 in damages, the punitive award will not exceed $100,000. There are extremely rare exceptions, however, in which this cap may be increased to up to three times the amount of compensatory damages.

Why You Need a Catastrophic Truck Accident Injuries Attorney on Your Side

Trucking companies and their insurers move rapidly after a crash to minimize their liability. Without the assistance of an experienced lawyer, you will have little protection against the tactics they employ to reduce your compensation. A dedicated catastrophic truck accident injuries attorney from Burg Simpson can help by:

• Investigating your crash.  We work to secure electronic control module and event data recorder downloads, footage from dash and traffic cams, hours-of-service and electronic driver log data, bills of lading, dispatch notes, maintenance logs, post-crash drug and alcohol testing, and driver qualification files.
• Determining liability. Fault often included more than the driver. The motor carrier, cargo loaders, maintenance contractors, parts manufacturers, and third-party contractors may also be liable for damages.
• Establishing damages. We carefully review medical bills and cost-of-care projections, lost wages and diminished earning capacity, and all related economic damages to assess their full worth. We take into account your personal experiences, new physical limitations, and emotional costs as well, highlighting your experiences to provide a compelling case for significant compensation.
• Strong negotiations. Most truck accident claims settle before trial during the negotiation phase. We apply nearly five decades of experience to these proceedings, working to obtain the best possible outcome in the shortest amount of time possible.
• Trial readiness. If a trial is required, Burg Simpson stands ready. With a team of proven and award-winning trial lawyers, we have the experience necessary to litigate complex cases in front of a judge or jury in our efforts to secure maximum compensation.

Burg Simpson is a nationally recognized law firm with offices throughout the country. Our Denver-based attorneys have access to the collective knowledge and resources of the entire firm. This gives us an advantage when it comes to investigating, securing expert testimony, and obtaining input from specialists. We have secured billions in settlements and verdicts for our clients. We welcome the opportunity to meet with you free of both cost and obligation to learn about your case, discuss what damages you may be owed, and help you decide how best to move forward with your claim.

Contact a Catastrophic Truck Accident Injuries Attorney at Burg Simpson for FREE

If you live in Colorado and have sustained a catastrophic injury in a truck crash, use our online contact form or call us today to schedule your FREE and confidential consultation. Located in Denver, our team of commercial vehicle accident lawyers serves individuals and families living in all areas of the state.